Steve House, Wiscasset Planning Board chairman for over 18 years and Bath Iron Works tugboat captain, has decided to join the ranks of retired people beginning Aug. 30.
House said during an interview last week he has no specific plans for retirement, but looks forward to enjoying his home and family, doing the things he wants to do, and doing the things that need to be done. He plans to do some farming and gardening. Should he get bored, which he doubts very much will happen, he will find something to do.
He probably will not get bored this year. He has planted a garden that measured 50 feet by about 90 feet, with every vegetable there is growing in it. He said he knows they will have more than enough vegetables, so he plans to donate some of the fresh vegetables to soup kitchens and food pantries in the area.
House worked hard for many years, holding down two jobs for over 26 years. This past fall he retired from Lincoln County Communications after serving as a dispatcher for 26 years. He has worked at Bath Iron works for 41 years, including 30 years as tugboat captain, besides serving on the planning board since 1996, and as chairman of the planning board for about 15 years. During his time on the planning board he served under Chairmen Norm Guidoboni and Steve Jarrett.
Wiscasset Town Planner Misty Parker said, “Steve has provided tremendous leadership to the Planning Board during his time as chairman and was always a delight to work with. His experience and knowledge, plus his ability to work cooperatively with applicants and town officials made Steve an asset to the community.
“Steve understands the challenges of the community, as well as business owners, and worked hard to represent the best interests of his community fairly. His commitment, institutional knowledge, and experience will be greatly missed on the planning board.”
House said, “We now have a real good planning board that works well together for the good of the community.” He is a strong supporter of the town planner. “The decisions of the planning board have never been appealed when a town planner has been involved. That shows the value if the town planner to the town,” he said.
House said he has enjoyed his time on the planning board. “My term was up this year, and it was a good time for me to step down. If you make a commitment you have to stick with it, and I was uncertain if I could stick with it for another year,” he said.
House came to Maine from Massachusetts in 1969 after he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and became stationed in Boothbay Harbor, where he served as a boatswain mate until 1973.
While serving in the Coast Guard, he was called by Captain Bill Rich, who was in charge of a Bath Iron Works ship on sea trails in the area. A crew member on board of the ship had an appendicitis attack and the Coast Guard was requested to rescue the man from the ship and take him to the nearest hospital. House said the man was taken to St. Andrews Hospital for treatment.
“It was Captain Rich who later gave me my job at Bath Iron Works,” House said. He will retire from Bath Iron Works on Aug. 29.
House’s wife Joan is a nurse at Miles Memorial Hospital and has five more years before she will retire. He has one son, Luke, who lives in Phippsburg, and a granddaughter, Ava.
