As State Rep. Les Fossel (R-Alna) departs the Maine Legislature, he plans to continue his life in public service. A new role he’s taking on for his town will help him do just that.

On December 13, the Alna Board of Selectmen appointed Fossel to represent the town on the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission’s board of directors. The commission helps towns with economic development and other planning matters.

The commission’s services can be of particular value to small towns when they lose state revenues. “(Towns) have a hard time figuring out what to do next,” Fossel said.

“This is what I’ve done my whole life,” Fossel said of public service.  “It’s a matter of how to be useful and address needs.”

Fossel has represented District 53 in the Maine House for four years. In November, he lost a close vote for the Maine Senate District 20 seat to incumbent Chris Johnson, D-Somerville.

Will Fossel ever run for the Legislature again? “That's a definite maybe. It's too soon to tell,” he said.

Pinkham Pond site in limbo

A committee selectmen created to explore the future use of a tax-acquired lot on Pinkham Pond has not met lately, its chairman, Chris Cooper, said.

First Selectman David Abbott asked Cooper when the committee will have a proposal to bring to the board, but Cooper wasn’t sure.

Selectmen formed the committee in July 2011.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.