Route 7 stretch to bear Alfond’s name

DEXTER – A road the late Harold Alfond traveled many times over the years to and from the company he founded and operated here soon will be named after him.

The town, having received approval from the Legislature, will name a portion of Route 7 the Harold Alfond Memorial Highway. A dedication and unveiling of a sign to signify the designation will be held in mid-August, Town Manager Judy Doore told the council this week. She said the Alfond family will be asked to participate in the event.

The noted philanthropist, who operated Dexter Shoe Co. from 1956 to 1993, died last year.

“This is our way of memorializing Harold Alfond, a man who provided a livelihood for many families in our tricounty area,” Doore said Sunday.

After his death, a group of Dexter residents and town officials formed a committee to investigate a local recognition of his contributions. Since Route 7 was so often traveled by Alfond, the committee decided to name it after him. The committee solicited the aid of state Sen. Debra Plowman, R-Hampden, who created LD 2239 to name the road and later helped get the resolve approved by the Legislature as an emergency measure.

The portion of Route 7 to be named after Alfond runs from the Dexter-Corinna town line to the Dexter-Garland town line.

“I’m just happy we’re able to coordinate this effort on state highway,” Doore said.

The Town Council on Thursday also learned that the Federal Aviation Administration has agreed to allow the town to draw upon its entitlement funds for the proposed reconstruction of the airport runway in phases.

The council authorized Doore to sign an FAA grant application to allow completion of the preliminary work on the project, the town share of which will be 2.5 percent of the total grant or about $8,000.

The council also approved the appointment of Barry Deering as fire chief.

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