SEACOAST ONLINE • September 9, 2021
I met David Flanagan in 1994 when he was conducting his first rescue mission for Central Maine Power. What I found was a Mainer devoted to the cause of public service. Flanagan was the best corporate leader Maine has had in some time. Not only was he completely devoted to the task, but he has an ability to inspire others to stop hunkering down, face the public squarely, endure criticism and then chart a new course. Perhaps he was on his way to executing a second turnaround at CMP. We may never know. I interviewed him recently, before I knew he was fighting pancreatic cancer – a battle in which there are extremely long odds. He sounded the same, expressing strong, but respectful, disagreement with both referendums that are challenging CMP’s continued existence. Flanagan reminisced to another interviewer about an episode when he was on a High School debate team. “What was particularly valuable about debating was the concept of advancing a proposition, supporting it with facts, and documenting the facts,” he said. That’s good advice for our time, or any other. ~ Douglas Rooks