Tuesday evening, May 19, the Camden Select Board surprised two longtime residents, Jeff and Rosemary Weymouth, honoring them on the dedication page of the 2026 Annual Town Report. That annual dedication is made following months of private conversations amongst Select Board members, as they consider whom to recognize for public service to the town.

This year, it is the Weymouths, who have lived in Camden for decades.

After receiving the award, Jeff Weymouth told the Select Board: "This all started way back. There were some pillars in the community that helped a lot with the housing. One was Harold Corthell, the other was Gilbert Harmon. After Harold's death, we started to get onboard with Gilbert Harmon's help to purchase a lot of the property. They provided housing for the workers in Camden. They were the pillars, we just carried on. They put us in position and the town has been very good to us. We had a good time and have enjoyed living here, so far."

The dedication reads:

The Camden Select Board is proud to dedicate this year’s Town Report to Rosemary and Jeff Weymouth, whose five-decade commitment to housing, public safety, and essential services has provided a vital foundation for our community.

In the early 1970s, long before “workforce housing” became a regional priority, the Weymouths began rehabilitating aging properties into multi-unit rentals within Camden’s village neighborhoods. As early adopters of federally subsidized housing, their efforts have provided stable homes for generations of residents, including teachers, veterans, and essential service workers.

While the Weymouths prioritize the privacy of their tenants, they have been quietly helping in ways that you won’t read about in the news, and the breadth of their impact is undeniable; Camden’s socioeconomic diversity and character are intrinsically linked to their decades of stewardship.

As independent owners have increasingly exited the rental market due to rising costs and regulatory complexities, the Weymouths have remained steadfast. It is worth noting that the office of Megunticook Management is just a stone’s throw away from the former residence of Edna St. Vincent Millay along the bank of Megunticook River. It’s a place where mill workers and single mothers have found opportunity and shelter for generations and the Weymouth family has been instrumental in ensuring that options still exist for families like the Millays. 

Their success is rooted in a unique partnership: Rosemary’s expertise in finance and real estate, combined with Jeff’s construction background and their shared, tireless work ethic has translated Camden’s long-standing housing goals into tangible results. A lot of people talk about Camden’s housing crisis, but Rosemary and Jeff have actually done something and are maintaining it now with the next generation through their son, Jaime. 

They have successfully navigated the relentless demands of property maintenance, rigorous federal audits, and the challenge of balancing rising operating costs with the necessity for accessible rents, all while managing the complexities of municipal zoning, local policy, politics, and personalities. The Weymouths’ contributions also extend to practical community infrastructure. This is most evident in the Camden Clothesline, a full-service laundromat that serves as a vital resource for residents and local workers. By maintaining this essential service, they help ensure that Camden remains a functional, year-round community for all.

Beyond their professional work, the Weymouths have dedicated themselves to Camden’s governance and safety. Rosemary has been a pillar of local institutions, serving on the MSAD 28 and Five Town CSD school boards, and contributing her financial acumen to the Camden National Bank Board of Directors for many years.

Jeff’s 38 years of service to the Camden Fire Department represents a lifetime of dedication to his neighbors’ safety. Together, they have provided pragmatic, business-minded perspectives to the town’s budget committee, the Camden Affordable Housing Association, the cemetery committee, and the Camden Economic Development Advisory Committee, ensuring a sustainable future for the town.

While municipal issues can often be polarizing, the Select Board is unanimous in its gratitude. For their half-century of hard work and their profound commitment to Camden’s working families, we thank Rosemary and Jeff Weymouth for their invaluable role making living in Camden a reality for so many.