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Bing Gross: “Mr. Penobscot”
Bing Gross can often be found
putting in volunteer hours at the town hall. |
Arnold “Bing” Gross was in the Penobscot Town Office Friday morning,
as he often is, although office hours are only Mondays and Thursdays
and Tuesday evenings.
Dressed in old but comfortable clothes, Gross occupied the back room
of the building with its maps, a photocopier and, stacked on shelves
in a recess, manuals that direct town officials how to do public
business.
It’s a big job minding public business, even in a small town. One
might reason that Gross has spent most of his 71 years running the
town where he has lived his whole life. But Bing Gross did not
become a selectman until 1985.
Why not sooner?
“I hadn’t made up my mind. I had served on some committees and the
Planning Board. I didn’t think I had anything else to give.”
When he ran for office the first time he won.
“It’s been interesting to me and I hope to serve at least one more
term. I don’t know if I’ll last out, but I hope to. It’s more and
more work with the state falling back on the towns…It’s a lot of
work for a small town without a large budget.
“I don’t want to be corny, but I enjoy the work. It’s a lot of
headaches and there have been a couple of busy years, but I have
enjoyed it,” Gross said.
One of the town’s biggest accomplishments in recent years has been
construction of a new fire station, replacing the old one down by
the Chocolate
Church. The old station did not have running water or bathroom
facilities.
The new four-bay station will have amenities for volunteer firemen
and is a proud addition to the town.
Gross wanted to be sure that the committee responsible for planning
the fire station got proper credit. Dennis Robertson is chairman of
that committee and members are Dana Willis, James Austin, Robert
Grindle, Stanley Shorey, who is coordinator, and Fire Chief Albert
Snow Jr.
Gross is in the office far more than the two-and-a-half days listed
on the notice taped to the front door. But he says he doesn’t mind.
“‘Mother’ [Betty Gross, Bing’s wife] and I have been married 52
years and our family is all grown up and moved away. I’m retired and
have the time.”
Gross and his wife are busy volunteering. She has worked in the
school for many years as a teacher’s aide and as a volunteer. She
directed annual school plays for 22 years and now works with
children at the
Baptist
Church.
The telephone interrupts Gross’s story and he finds himself giving
directions to a boatyard. “You go past the nursing home and take the
road toward Castine, then turn right toward Orland and it’s up a
quarter-mile—you can see it set back in a field.”
After putting the phone down and leaning back in his chair, Gross
said, “This is a nice, friendly town. It’s unique. |
