AUGUSTA — State Rep. Peter Edgecomb reported for work on Feb. 15 expecting just another busy day in the Legislature. He never suspected that at 10 a.m. he would be Speaker of the House — at least for a little while.
Photo contributed by Caitlin Chamberlain
House Speaker Robert Nutting, right, provides last-minute advice to Rep. Peter Edgecomb shortly before the Caribou legislator took over as Speaker Pro Tem.
House Speaker Robert Nutting surrendered the gavel to Rep. Edgecomb, a fourth-term Republican lawmaker from Caribou, in a time-honored House tradition. Legislators serving their last term in office are sometimes offered the opportunity to mount the imposing wooden rostrum that stands like a fortress above the House floor. From that heady perch, they preside over the business of the House as Speaker Pro Tempore.
“It was exciting to be up there and experience just how tough the Speaker’s job can be,” Rep. Edgecomb said afterwards. “You’re pretty much in charge of everything happening in there. You have to listen to all of the debate. You’ve got to maintain Mason’s Rules of Order, which pertain to the debate. You’ve got to be alert to the use of language and make sure there’s no name-calling or unseemly remarks. As Speaker, you’re the enforcer of procedural decorum.”
Speaker Nutting gave Rep. Edgecomb a few pointers before turning over the controls. One of his most valuable assets was a computer screen to his right, built into the rostrum and unseen from the House floor. “That really came in handy,” he said. “It had all the information needed to manage the debate – the name and hometown of the member currently speaking, the name of anyone on deck to speak, as well as the name and number of the bill under discussion.”
Thirty minutes after it began, Rep. Edgecomb’s reign as Speaker Pro Tem came to an end when Speaker Nutting returned. His Republican colleagues agreed he had handled the duties in fine style, even with a certain panache.
“It was a great experience,” Edgecomb said, “and it was a kick to be addressed as Mr. Speaker. I’ll never forget it.”
