Guilford Select Chair honored

AUGUSTA – Longtime Guilford Selectboard Chairman William Thompson — who also served his community as a science teacher and driver’s ed instructor for many years — received the Ethel Kelley Memorial Award at the Maine Municipal Association’s (MMA) 79th annual convention earlier this month. The Ethel Kelley Award recognizes distinguished community service and is considered MMA’s most prestigious annual award.

Thompson joined the selectboard in 1980 and has not missed a meeting since. He has served for 35 consecutive years, including 24 as chair. In nominating Thompson for the award, Guilford officials used similar adjectives in describing the man: reliable, dedicated, calm and conscientious.

“He is, simply, the consummate selectman, a model to be emulated,” wrote Town Manager Thomas Goulette.

Peter Martell, who also serves on the board, cited Thompson’s community leadership during a 1987 flood that caused more than $8 million in damage. “Bill worked in the board room to organize and provide essential services to the townspeople and, afterward, met with industries and businesses to convince them to rebuild,” Martell wrote. “Our town would be a lot different if it weren’t for his efforts to convince businesses to stay.”

Thompson also is well-known in his hometown as a science teacher, a position that he held for 45 years. His school was selected for national recognition several times during that period as a result of Thompson’s excellence in education. In 2009, he was a finalist for Maine Teacher of the Year. He also was a driver’s education instructor “on the side.”

“Well-loved and highly respected, there are many residents well into their 60s who still affectionately refer to him as ‘Mr. Thompson,’ ” wrote Goulette.

One of the judges who helped to select Thompson for the Ethel Kelley Award, Terry St. Peter, a former MMA Executive Committee president and manager for the city of Caribou, bestowed the honor at the MMA Convention on Oct. 7. St. Peter cited as highlights Thompson’s efforts in expanding Guilford’s community library, improving the town playground and athletic complex and obtaining a $400,000 downtown revitalization grant.

“One of the criteria for the Ethel Kelley Award is that the person chosen was a glue that helped hold the community together, as Ethel Kelley did during her years at MMA,” St. Peter said. “Clearly, the personality of this candidate and his multi-year involvement in all facets of his community strongly meet this criterion.”

While accepting the award, Thompson was surrounded by supporters including his family and close associates from Guilford.