Frank Stratton
East Millinocket Water & Sewer Department's
Superintendent
by Steve Lane
Millinocket Wastewater Treatment Facility
The Town of East Millinocket is located just off the Medway Exit 56 of
Interstate 95 approximately 70 miles north of Bangor. Francis, more
commonly known as “Frank” to folks in this area, is the Superintendent
of both the Water and Sewer Departments. Frank holds a Grade 2 water
operations license and a Grade 2B wastewater operations certification.
Frank Stratton began his water career in October of 1967 at the age of
23 with General Waterworks, a Philadelphia based water conglomerate,
at their Millinocket Maine Facility. Stratton started as a serviceman
and was promoted to Superintendent of operations in 1976. Frank worked
at the 1.0 mgd Millinocket treatment plant (rapid sand filtration) for
16 years when he left for the Superintendents position at the
neighboring East Millinocket Water Company in October of 1983. The
water utility had been purchased by the town from General Waterworks
in 1979. In 1995 Frank was approached by the town to assume
responsibilities for its wastewater operations as well.
Before starting his water environmental career, Frank spent 3 years in
the army. He served his time in the Motor Poll in its Armored Division
out of Fort Knox in Kentucky.
Frank has 3 employees who help him operate the systems: Tony Civiello,
wastewater mechanic, Blaine McLaughlin water treatment operator, and
Bill Weisskirehen, a utility man who works between both departments.
The water treatment operation is a groundwater well system that
provides drinking water to the citizens of East Millinocket as well as
the 43 residents of Medway just off Wilderness Drive. The well system
pumps an average of 600,000 gallons per day to 861 service
connections. Of this total flow, 73% travels to the Great Northern
Paper Company on a daily basis.
The wastewater treatment facility is a primary treatment facility
which discharges its effluent to the aeration basin of the Great
Northern Paper Company located adjacent to the municipal plant. There
are 796 residential sewer connections to the system.
Frank is also a competent mechanic, one of these guys that just has to
fix everything that is broke or not working right. Can’t buy a part
for an old controller? Lets make one! He also enjoys his antique 1948
Ford Coup. Along with this car, which is in its original condition,
Frank also has a 1943 MB World War II Jeep and a 1947 CJ2A Jeep.
Frank acknowledges the rigors of operating 2 environmental departments
takes a lot of his time and energy. “Had I known what I was getting
into when I assumed responsibilities for wastewater operations, my
decision may have been different”, he joked. Improvements to the water
and wastewater systems have been slow over the years and the town
currently has a one million dollar Main St. construction project
scheduled for this summer. “This project will provide adequate flow
and fire protection for the Industrial Park Area”, says Frank.
Frank has a rare blood disease, which requires him to have a
transfusion every 3 weeks. Stratton does not let it get the best of
him as he continues as the care taker of the town’s water operations.
Stratton has two children, Jonathon who spent 7 years with the Air
Force and now resides in Portland, and Kristy who is the finance
director for TV 2 in Boston, Mass.
An avid outdoors person, Frank enjoys
hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling. Frank can often be found
snowmobiling in the Sandy Stream or Katahdin Lake area with his
significant other half, Barbara. Vacation time is most always taken in
the fall as he enjoys the” Mud Brook Motel”, a hunting camp in which
himself and several friends enjoy year after year. One can often walk
into the treatment plant and catch a reenactment of the “one I shot
the horn off” or “it was the biggest buck I’d ever seen” scenarios.
Job
Bank
|
Equipment For Sale
|
Maine Legislature
For Kids
|
Operator Profile
|
Plant Profile
|
Position Papers
News Archives |
Ops Forum |
Force Maine |
Resource Links
|
Site Map
Send mail
to administration with questions
or comments about this web site.
