Local Spotlight: Neva Gross

Neva Gross is the only member of the Biddeford City Council who was not elected to her position.

Gross, 49, was nominated for the Ward Five council seat by Mayor Marty Grohman in order to fill the vacancy created by Julian Schlaver’s abrupt resignation in April. The council unanimously approved her nomination.

Gross says she is enjoying her new duties on the council. “The opportunity to serve really appealed to my curious nature,” she said. “I have not lived in Biddeford very long, but I do feel connected here. This is an amazing community,” and I’m excited about our future and where we go from here.”

Neva grew up near Tampa, Florida. After graduating from high school, she immediately joined the United States Army and served a total of eight years as an operating room technician and medic.

Although she holds a doctorate degree in pharmacology, Gross says her college path just happened.

“I was 20 years older than my peers. It just fell into my life,” she said with a laugh.

But it was her college career that first brought Gross to Maine. She literally traveled through a blizzard to interview for her graduate studies program at the University of New England.

Although the council is currently tackling some very complex issues, Gross says she has no regrets about taking on the added responsibility. Her style on the council is somewhat reserved. She listens intently to discussion often sitting back with her chair leaning away from the council dais.

When she does ask a question or offer a comment, she does so deliberately, but also with a measured, soft-spoken tone that seems to match her natural curiosity.

Gross represents the city’s downtown area. She describes the city’s downtown as “dynamic and exciting,” quickly conceding there are still many challenges facing both business owners and residents in the re-emerging downtown that was once a base of textile manufacturing.

Serving on the council is a huge commitment. You say you have no regrets about signing up for a thankless job that pays less than $100 per month.

“Throughout my life, I have done a lot of little things. You know, here and there, like a lot of people do. I grew up with the help of Boys and Girls Club. That was a huge part of my life, so I do volunteer work with them.

“Through my fraternity, I’ve done work for Habitat for Humanity and other things like donating funds and helping with events. One of UNE’s big things is community service. So, I was very focused on finding things to do in southern Maine.

“I’ve been doing these little things – I call them little things – my entire life. It’s a big part of who I am. So, when I heard about this opportunity, I decided to pursue it because it just seemed like a good fit.”

Your first trip to Maine happened during a blizzard, and you’re from Florida. The blizzard didn’t make you have second thoughts about moving here?

(Laughs) “No. It was actually exciting for me. I had seen snow before because of my military service. For all intents and purposes, it was really a miserable time getting here. I had to switch flights and rent a car. I was not dressed appropriately (Laughs) One of the people at UNE actually loaned me her jacket. It was quite an adventure.”

You were studying at the Portland campus; how did Biddeford get on your radar screen?

“I did have one class at the Biddeford campus. But honestly it was this place (Lincoln Hotel) that brought me here. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I was working for Walgreens in Vermont. The big focus was on vaccines for high-risk populations such as nursing homes.

“Covid did a number on pharmacists, so I began looking for a career change. I went to work for Banded Brewing and through them, I met the people from Batson [Brewing] and came here.

“I was really drawn to Biddeford. People here are so kind. People on the street will actually talk to you and say good morning.”

Today, you are working for the Preble Street Resource Center in Portland. Do you mind telling us about your job?

“Sure, I am a first-shift supervisor for a pilot program we’re doing. It’s the first medical respite program in Maine. It’s a three-way joint effort between Maine Health, Preble Street and Greater Portland Health.

“If an unhoused person goes into the emergency room, gets treated but does not require hospital care, they can come to us. For example, if someone gets frostbite, we can do wound care and can provide follow-up medical services.”

Do you feel the city is moving in the right direction?

“For the most part. I haven’t been here very long, but it’s been changing even during the brief time that I have been here. We’re going through a transition. I didn’t know about all the challenges facing the council when I signed up.

“Now that I am on the council and have access to so much information and background materials, it seems clear that I need to do a lot of listening and a lot of learning. I’m not the kind of person who speaks to hear myself talk.

“I think we have a good council, and good employees. I think the council is in a good position to tackle the challenges that are all around us.”

What are some of those challenges?

“Parking is going to continue as one of the top issues facing our downtown. We are also trying to take some positive step in addressing the needs of our unhoused neighbors and we have issues facing us at City Hall that we’ll need to address as time goes on.

“There is a lot. But I think we can tackle these things and come up with some good plans and outcomes. We have some work to do. We need to focus on solutions, not the problems.”

What would you like to say to the people of Biddeford?

“I’d really like to see more people participating in meetings. The council needs to be connected to the people we represent. One of the best ways for that to happen is to hear directly from the people we represent.”                                                   

Randy Seaver is a freelance writer living in Biddeford. He is a former newspaper reporter and editor and is the principal of a small strategic communications firm. He can be contacted at randy@randyseaver.com