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BY MORNING SENTINEL STAFF 05/09/2008

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KEY TO THE CITY: KFS, formerly Kennebec Federal Savings bank, President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Rancourt, right, holds a key to the city of Waterville that was given to him after the bank was named Business of the Year by the Main Street Waterville organization on Thursday. Speaking with Rancourt is Waterville City Manager Mike Roy, left, and Mayor Paul LePage.

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About 100 people sipped gigantic Margaritas in front of CanCun restaurant and pints of Shipyard beer in front of Midnight Blues Club as Highball Jazz Trio filled the space on the blocked-off street with a Radiohead tune. The event, orchestrated by Waterville Main Street, went smoothly, aside from the occasions when the wind lifted the odd patio umbrella and launched it from a table.

"Beyond the blustery weather, this was about what we had in mind," Raffi Der Simonian, a coordinator with Waterville Main Street, said, surveying the party on the cobblestones.

At the microphone, another Main Street worker, Ken Vlodek, said everyone should get involved with the program.

"Everybody benefits from what Waterville Main Street does, so we ask everyone to support it or become a partner," Vlodek said, inviting area businesses to participate in a certain customer service training program.

"Can you imagine the positive impact if 10 people or 12 people say 'I loved visiting Waterville downtown because the customer services was great, and people were so friendly?'"

Waterville Main Street's stated goal is to "advance efforts to develop the downtown area into a thriving, energetic, commercial, social, cultural and entertainment destination."

Part of this effort involves a nomination process for businesses to compete for the business of the year award. Kennebec Federal Savings bank, or KFS as it is also known, was chosen for a variety of reasons, according to Waterville Main Street's Executive Director Shannon Haines.

"KFS maintains meticulously their store front and sidewalks, they do their own landscaping, they participate in the flower box program," Haines said.

Haines went on to list a variety of other reasons for KFS being chosen for the award, including participation in downtown cleanups, sending staff to work during the Taste of Waterville event, and giving financial support to Waterville Main Street.

A KFS employee also sits on Waterville Main Street's restructuring committee.

Waterville Main Street chose KFS through a lengthy process that involved a selection committee and a network of ballot boxes that were placed at various businesses throughout Waterville into which customers could leave notes describing their experiences at the various businesses that had been nominated for the award.

Other businesses that were nominated for Waterville Main Street Business of the Year were:

Blue Marble Gallery/Digital ImageWorks

Bread Box Cafe

GHM Insurance Agency

Joseph's Market

Kennebec Chocolates

Mainely Brews Restaurant & Brewhouse

Yardgoods Center

Allan L. Rancourt, President and corporate executive officer of KFS, thanked Waterville Main Street volunteers and employees for the work they do.

"I am very, very impressed with this award after I've seen so many of my friends volunteer" in Main Street projects, Rancourt said as he accepted the award.

Waterville Mayor Paul LePage presented Rancourt with a key to the city and also praised the Main Street program.

"I think Waterville Main Street deserves a lot of credit," he said. "It's really trying to bring Waterville back to its former days."

Joel Elliott -- 861-9252

jelliott@centralmaine.com

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