(At one point, however, when a resident began speaking about how much the Mano en Mano project will cost the community, saying the town already was paying $350,000 a year for English language learning and referring to the agricultural workers as “those people,” the audience shouted him down, saying, “That’s bigotry.”)

The audience that reprimanded the "those people" comment show their is a voice of reason in the town.

(“We just don’t want skyscrapers here,” Richard Duncanson said. “We want the character of the town to stay the same.”

Duncanson added, “I don’t care who the housing is built for or who lives here. We just love our community the way it is.”)

Does this mean any multi-level buildings in town are considered skyscrapers? Or that any new development is subject to a one-story limit? lol

(Russell explained that a risk the town was taking was that HUD could determine that a violation had occurred and ask for all federal grant funds that Milbridge had received in the past — a whopping $1.25 million — be repaid. He said there was also a chance that the town could be, in essence, blackballed from receiving federal grants for years into the future.)

Milbridge should learn what fights are worth the effort and which may leave you battered and bruised and with possibly an empty wallet.

It's likely that the folks who are against this development are also the same people who complain about the tourists who buy their lobsters, clams and other goods and services.

As far as the jobs that they do, most are jobs that the locals have not wanted.

We all are descendants of immigrants, think about it.

The people who are against the development are against it for the following reasons:

1- It was not presented properly to the Town Planning Committee. A haphazard drawing and notes on a piece of paper dosen't qualify an outdoor deck for review let alone a 1.6 million dollar complex.

2- LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

as the real estate saying goes, "Location is everything." A multi-family housing unit has no business being 1.5 miles down a rural side road. A project of this magnitude belongs in an urban setting with access to public utilites, post office, stores, etc. It is unrealistic to think that low income agricultural workers can afford private transportation and commute to town everyday for their needs.

3- Now that we have established that the project was never presented properly, and it's lack of choice in location, what next? How about if Mano a Mano plays dirty. They want their own way and are willing to do whatever to get it. You encourage them to come back with a plan and maybe a new location and they sue you for "racial discrimination". That's real classy. Play the race card.

4- This was never about race. It was about money and the lack of money that would be contributed from Mano a Mano and the amount of cost that would be put on the town and school district.

5- Now, the residents have had enough. They don't like being bullied and sued. It's the principle of the matter. Had Mano a Mano played nice and by the rules, and been willing to work the residents instead of trying to sneak things in ,and then taking court action when they didin't get their own way, WE WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY!

The moral of this story is: You get what you put out. If you don't put your project out nicely and work with the town and the residents, don't expect the town and the residents to want your project.

I grew up on the wyman rd and I know the location of the project. I can't think of a better place for it to go.

It is sad to live away from the town and read that some people are being so hurtful.

Adding students (ELL or not) will not burden the school district at all. SAD 37 should consider themselves lucky that they have these students. ELL students come with increased funding from the state. Without all the ELL students, the school would probably be considered for closing.

I know that people in the town are upset up their taxes already. I can't imagine what they will be after they lose the lawsuit and maybe have to repay 1.25 million in grants.

Downeastlover. The moratorium that was passed based on the citizen petition goes beyond just location, location, location. I've read it and there is more to it including some valid points. Having attended the public meetings and talked with town and planning board member, my understanding is that Mano en Mano did follow proper procedures with the Town (who supported the grant) and the planning board. It's just that the Town decided to change their planning procedures mid-stream once the opposition and moratorium petition surfaced. As far as magnitude, a six-family housing facility isn't a skyscraper. Another Ficket managed property in Cherryfield which is much larger than this proposed development is as remote if not more-so than the Wyman Rd. location. To deny that racial undertones have played out during this process is ignorant.

You Milbridge people have no idea what you're up against. The lamestream leftist media is 100% allied with Mano a Mano, for one thing (I wish I could tell you all the things that Sharon Kiley Mack said to me when I called her a month ago to ask her to please just fairly present both sides of this story.............it was breathtaking how honest she was, and how much she wants Mano a Mano to teach Milbridge a lesson).

The Federal agencies are now firmly in the hands of the Obama crowd---does the phrase "Chicago pollitics" mean anything to any one???

The left does not play nice, boys and girls! I am in the social work/community organizing field, and I can tell you that they are not about to go easy on Milbridge. "By any means necessary".......Milbridge, meet Saul Alinsky!

Sad, so sad....................what's been done in the name of social justice!!!!

But what the heck. I guess we won't give in to the Mano a Mano goons and their ilk just yet......maybe tommorrow!

Gee downeast, let me see if I can rationalize your position, you want low income AGRICULTURAL workers to have housing in an URBAN setting.

Hmmm. Agricultural- aint that a word meain and ta do with field work? And Urban, seems so that caint be the same as RURAL- cuz ya point out that the housing has no place in the in the rural, aint Urban a word that is kin to CITY?

So is it your arugument that you want the field workers to what, care for crops in the city?

If you put the housing in the city, then you would need transportation to the rural area so the agricultural workers can get to work, right?

I live in a rural setting, I work in agriculture, and I spend more time working than going to the store.

And guess what, Mr. Roosevelt said he gonna bring Electricity to us! What next - oh even the US postal service has a designated location in the front of the house, down by the driveway- they are doing home delivery now!

Also there is a neat concept we call a pantry- its a little nook we fill with all the stuff bought at stores- cuz we cant go to the store every time we need a can of something- we go once a week or so.

Seems more efficent to locate the agricultural workers in the rural setting, close to the work, and send the transportation to town once a week, than the other way around.

And as far as "them people", I wish I could get some, It seems like most folks like bacon and eggs- but they hate the smell of the pig pen, and the crow of the rooster. You want the benifits of cheap low wage workers, in that you get inexpensive goods, but you dont want the low wage workers.

As far as the tax burdin on schools and services, this contributes , as workers earn wages, and spend them, on the local economy.

They help in the manufacture of export product, that brings in money from away.

I have heard folks with no kids say how its unfair, that they pay the same tax for education as the people with kids, but if it helps- dont think of it as you are paying for someone elses education- think of it as if you where repaying for your own!

I would like to get some of "them people" to work for me, because I try and get some of "them other people" and I cant find any that want to do hard work.

And if I had to guess, you have not had to look for hard workers, because Bin Workin must be hidin with Bin Laden, niether one gets seen all to often.