Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
     A new face is coming to Scarborough and a familiar face is changing places. Athletic Director Frank Spencer and Town Planner Joseph Ziepniewski recently announced their retirement and transitions are under way.
      Although Spencer is retiring, he’s not quite sure when his last day might be. Last week, he said his departure will depend on how long the sports teams continue to play and he said he would like to get things in order for the fall season.
      Spencer, who has been athletic director in Scarborough for more than six years, said the athletic facilities updates that have taken place in the last three years and the growth in the number of teams in the last seven years, are significant accomplishments.
      “Scarborough is very blessed with the number of state championship teams,” he said. “It mirrors what’s going on educationally at Scarborough High School.”
      As the Scarborough school community embarks on the Sports Done Right program, Spencer said a lot of people have the wrong idea about the program. He said the program will not drastically change the direction of sports in town, but rather it will encourage discussion among youth sports stakeholders.
      “A community that begins to think they’re doing everything right...is destined to begin to slide and go backwards,” he said.
      Spencer said he will continue to be involved in athletics, but in a less visible way. Prior to coming to Scarborough, Spencer coached basketball and football in South Portland for 14 years. His coaching career began in 1974 in Portland, where he coached girls’ softball, football, and wrestling.
      Chris Moreau is ready to bring his own coaching experience to Scarborough when he takes over Spencer’s position this summer. He has coached baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, golf, football, Nordic skiing, and he owned a martial arts center. Moreau said his varied interests, including playing in a band, will ensure he always has something to talk about with someone who visits his office, whether it be a student or a teacher.
      He said he is looking forward to the challenges of being a full-time athletic director. Moreau is currently the athletic director/assistant principal at Dexter Regional High School. He previously worked as the assistant principal at Sumner Memorial High School in Sullivan, the athletic director, assistant to the principal and director of the Career Education Center at Livermore Falls Middle School as well as the Master Job Specialist in the Jobs for Maine’s Graduates at Livermore Falls High School.
      Coming from a school of 350 students to 1,100 students will be a change, but not a major challenge Moreau said.
      “There’s the culture shock behind that, but the biggest difference will be the volume of games,” he said. His plan is to “come in, work hard, communicate, and the details will take care of themselves.”
      Moreau said he is looking forward to the opportunity to take part in the successful programming already in place. With approval of the administration, he said he would like to create a Scarborough Hall of Fame to honor past graduates. First, however, he wants to “get his feet on the ground” and make sure all three sports seasons are successful.
       The philosophies outlined in Sports Done Right, he said, will help ensure successful seasons.
      “Wins and losses are important, but not the be all end all,” he said. More importantly, he said is that all students are given the opportunity to participate in healthy competition.
      In another part of town, figuratively speaking, Ziepniewski is planning for his last day on May 25. He said he has the “utmost confidence” in Assistant Town Planner Dan Bacon, who effectively took his place on Monday. Bacon, he said, has among his skills the ability to communicate technical knowledge to various groups of people.
      Ziepniewski, who has been Town Planner for the past 21 years, said the quality of development in town has improved significantly.
      “Scarborough was known for motels and gravel pits,” he said of the town’s former reputation. He said the revitalization of Rte. One and the acquisition of open space and recreational parks such as Blue Point, Pleasant Hill, and Springbrook have helped transform the town.
      He said implementing the town’s comprehensive plan and maintaining quality development, while also controlling growth will continue to be an objective of the planning department and the planning board. Some of the new projects in the town are consistent with the new village style development. Those include Dunstan Crossing, Eastern Village, and Oak Hill. He said the projects are also examples of preferable compact growth, a trend that will continue in areas that can support it.
      Bacon, who has been the Assistant Town Planner for more than two years, said there is a lot more planning and development ahead in the town.
 “Last summer the town adopted the updated comprehensive plan and the goal over the next two to three years is to work toward implementing much of the plan,” he said. Transportation, he said, will continue to be a major issue as the Scarborough Gateway project progresses and Rte. One continues to redevelop.