Andrew DeFilipp

John Dutton of TV’s “Yellowstone” said, “They’ll tell you that the land’s only hope is for them to be its steward. The ugly truth is they want the land, and if they get it, it will never look like our land again.”

Lake Auburn is one of only 37 lakes in the country that receives a water filtration waiver due to its naturally occurring high water quality. The Auburn Water District has held the waiver of filtration since 1991.

According to a study commissioned by Auburn, published by FB Environmental and the University of Maine, “We found no net environmental, economic, or social benefit supporting expansion of development in the Lake Auburn watershed.”

Stop the development of Lake Auburn.

Auburn’s mayor highlighted his accomplishments during a recent pre-taped speech. A brief list of some of the businesses on his watch include Taco Bell (twice), Holy Donut (RIP), Krispy Kreme (RIP), Starbucks, Aroma Joe’s, Dunkin’, Five Guys, Chipotle, Olive Garden and Jersey Mike’s. Add these to the number of fast/casual restaurants Auburn already has, and the mayor appears to have turned Auburn into “McDonaldland.”

Auburn got another term with this cunning mayor because the incumbent ran unopposed. Voters couldn’t see behind the curtain. What we know is the mayor is smart, loud, condescending and divisive.

He argues with constituents, vying for the last word, right or wrong. He picked a fight with Lewiston over the lake, and Auburn’s water district has been sued because of it; billed to the ratepayers of Auburn. He was even caught on a hot mic at the end of the Sept. 6, 2022 council meeting, where he said he was going to watch Lewiston’s council meeting because “It will be a bloodbath …,” whatever that means.

He’s also got a majority of councilors willing to buck their constituents (by a vote of 4-3); receipts are on YouTube.

In his speech, the mayor plotted a path of opportunity, but opportunity for whom? Before T4.2 the City Council might have said no one. When opposed by petition and 2,400 signatures, the mayor and council decided to take the voice out of the mouths of voters. They superseded T4.2 with T4.2b and railroaded the community; progress.

Well, opportunity for John Gendron to turn his gravel pit into waterfront properties with gorgeous views of a lake previously unblemished.

Gendron wrote to the Sun Journal and explicitly stated what he plans to do. Citizens of Auburn have been put on notice.

Gendron said in July, development would be “Attainable, working-class” housing. Now, the application says it will be market rate with “Some senior housing.”  According to WGME13, none of these “modest houses” will be for sale. “Market” rents for waterfront housing may also price many would-be Auburn residents out. To advance his project, Gendron filed a petition with the city to amend zoning on 58 acres of his property to allow residential construction.

The mayor insists that the FBE report, titled “A Regulatory, Environmental, and Economic Analysis of Water Supply Protection in Auburn, Maine,” says building on the lake is truly good for it.

What it actually says is: “In summary, expanding development in the Lake Auburn watershed provides minimal net economic benefit across all affected stakeholders.” Pull quote, page 55.

If development proceeds, it could force Auburn’s hand and require an extremely expensive water filtration system on the dimes of the taxpayer; backing for private investment and fortune for only those shareholders.

Despite citizens’ best efforts, a deal to sell out 39,000 people who depend on Lake Auburn appears procedural at this point. Final approval all but guaranteed, bought and paid for. Rumblings of “Whatever Gendron wants, Gendron gets.” Public be damned. Water quality be damned. Conservation of the lake be damned.

The mayor even alluded to just completing this project, and moving on? It sounds a lot like Crony Capitalism. How deep does it go?

It is credulous to think that a development of this scale (1,100 units) will not garner water-based traffic in the lake, despite the ordinances on the books, or a move to change the law to appease. It’s a slippery slope from there as the City Council recently attempted a “pilot program” at Lake Grove Park.

As of today, Auburn’s natural resource won’t need heavy intervention for another 100 years. FBE’s Technical Memorandum, dated Aug. 1, 2022, suggests there might be a better way in the future, so why tamper with it? Follow the money.

Phrasing has been coined for the skeptics, draped in pandemic buzzwords designed to deceive/mislead; an urge to “follow the science.” While updated septic systems are good for Auburn’s future, it is a smokescreen that helps justify development around the lake — classic bait and switch.

According to the pros, the bottom line is — human contact with the source will contaminate it.

Protect Lake Auburn from this mayor and his cronies who are set on mucking it up. Or a vote of “no confidence” and recall might be the only way to keep the water clean, and the “PlayPlace” closed.

Andrew DeFilipp was born and raised in Auburn, graduated with a degree in journalism, and is a fan of natural, clean drinking water.