William Blodgett reviews a report during a meeting of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners on May 20. Blodgett was selected as Maine County Commissioner of the Month for September by the Maine Spirit of America Foundation. (LCN file photo)
Lincoln County Commissioner William “Bill” Blodgett was recognized for his dedication to public service at the commissioners’ meeting on Oct. 7.
In a letter from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, Blodgett was acknowledged as Maine County Commissioner of the Month for September by the Maine Spirit of America Foundation.
Blodgett also received the distinction in February. He has served as commissioner for District 2, which encompasses Bremen, Bristol, Monhegan, Nobleboro, South Bristol, and Waldoboro, for eight terms.
“Public service is one of the best means by which a citizen can demonstrate his or her commitment to the public good,” Collins said in her letter. “I thank you for your dedication to the people of Maine.”
Blodgett has been a public servant in Lincoln County for decades, including terms on the Waldoboro Select Board from 1981-1995; Waldoboro Budget Committee from 1995-2018; and the Lincoln and Sagadahoc Multi-County Jail Authority Board of Directors from 2003-2015.
Blodgett also served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1975-1981 and on the Maine Board of Environmental Protection from 1981-1990
In addition to his political career, Blodgett served as a captain in the U.S. Army and was a history and government teacher at Waldoboro High School and Medomak Valley High School for over 35 years.
He was elected to his first term as county commissioner in 1994, becoming District 2’s first Democratic commissioner since the Civil War, according to previous reporting by The Lincoln County News. At the time, he said he wanted to make county government more accessible to the public and continue to develop good relationships with Lincoln County residents.
“I hope people will feel free to call me on issues the county government is involved in and get involved themselves,” he said during his swearing-in ceremony in January 1995.
Blodgett has made maintaining a good relationship with the public a priority throughout his reelection campaigns. During his tenure as commissioner, the board supported projects like the construction of the Lincoln County Communications Center in 1998 and, more recently, efforts to address the county’s housing shortage.
“For 30 years, Commissioner Blodgett has been a guiding force for Lincoln County – serving with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to our community,” County Administrator Carrie Kipfer said in an email. “This honor is a well-earned tribute to his ongoing legacy.”
