Castine: marginal home of many citizens with too much time and too much money on their hands. They should be grateful that MMA anchors their town. Representative Rosen might do well to focus his efforts on reinvigorating Bucksport, rather than kowtowing to Castine NIMBYs and xenophobes. ...Too much time and too much money on their hands.

I am from Bucksport and I think this is a good idea. It will give the residents of Castine a bit of a say on what goes on. I think Jenna_T is a little jealous... Richard is doing a great job and our town (BUCKSPORT) is not the only town he has constituents in. Not all that reside in Castine are NIMBYS and XENOPHOBES with too much time & money on their hands...

I think it's a great idea, although I wonder if we could expand on it just a bit. How about if everyone in Maine has the opportunity to vote in the election in which Senator Rosen is a candidate, since his actions could have such an impact on all Maine citizens? Or how about if anyone who has ever been to Castine gets an opportunity to serve on the MMA board, because since it is a public college, we should be fair and ensure that all citizens are equally represented? Wait, here's one more idea; why don't we stop this stupid pandering and let the legal process set the proper course? And maybe in the mean time, the residents of Castine will reflect on the civics, geography and humility requisite in being good citizens of the State of Maine. Isn't that what we all want?

Then every town in Maine with a college deserves a seat on that college's board of directors?????? What a ridiculous proposal - probably ushered forth by some Castine busybody. Hey, why not put a towns-person on the board of directors for each business in every town in the state; that way the towns would have better "interaction". Save us from people with so little intellect.

This article would be more honest if it stated that Elizabeth Warren was not a citizen of the town of Castine, but the wife of the publisher of the Bangor Daily news and lives elsewhere and Mary Lou Cormier is only a recent resident, has no background in education, and was an appointed hack by the Governor to watch his back. Victoria Larson has her own self-interest agenda. Why should you care? You should because the taxpayers of the state of Maine just blew $1,600,000 on a mansion for the president of MMA when the Maine education budget is under severe pressure and tuitions are increasing at a rapid rate. To call MMA a college is a joke. It's a dumping ground for out-of-state students that can't find acceptence in their own state. Most leave the state after sucking $40,000 of tuition subsidies from the Maine taxpayers. $8,000, 000 per year (that's million) of state annual subsidies are funneled to the MMA for 400 Maine students and 500+ out of state students. You do the math.

Coolfusion just states some utter BS concerning students at MMA and where they are from. Further MMA students come out of this College with an education that starts them at $60,000 as an average and over $100,000 within a few years. THAT money comes back into this state. So how about that for some math!

Further it's not the fault of MMA what property costs in Castine. This town has a few zealots that want to control MMA and keep Castine living in the past. But all in all it's a great place with the majority enjoying the symbiotic relationship that MMA and the town have. But to have a seat on the board specifically for a town resident is silly and it's just Rosen bowing to pressure from one of vocal zealots in town.

If mmacpuguy took the time to review the alumni roster, he/she would find that the vast majority of graduates are employed, reside, and retire outside the state of Maine. Maine receives only a minicule percentage of return on the $8 Million per year investment of taxpayers paid subsidies wasted on this corrupt and self-serving pseudo college and their agressively recruited out-of-state students.

coolfusion says, "this corrupt and self-serving pseudo college " -- I think those who live and work around Castine can pretty much guess who you are. Grind your axe all you want, but you are stating utter BS and I KNOW it.

To address your strawman argument, the VAST MAJORITY of students at MMA are from Maine.

As to MMA being a pseudo college not what US News & World Report says below:

Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) has been listed in the rankings of the nation’s top baccalaureate colleges for the northern region in the 2009 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report

http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16605&Itemid=85

All of this heartburn is about $5000 coming off the tax base with the purchase of the Abbott house, but you and the other zealots in Castine made no noise when the Nelson house was sold to the Castine Historical Society recently taking $5000 off the tax base as well.

CASTINE — Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) has been listed in the rankings of the nation’s top baccalaureate colleges for the northern region in the 2009 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report.

According to U.S. News & World Report, highlights of the rankings are published in the magazine’s Sept. 1-8 edition and were available for newsstand purchase as of Aug. 25.

The results, along with a complete summary of the methodology used to rank each school, are also online at usnews.com/colleges. Maine Maritime Academy was ranked for the second consecutive year in the section titled “Best Baccalaureate Colleges (By Region).” MMA was placed at 10th overall in the listing of public and private colleges located in the north, a region defined in the publication as spanning from Maine to Maryland. Last year MMA was placed at 14th within the same regional category.

The college was also listed in a number of subcategories for the region: the 10th-ranked school in the categories titled “Best Values: Baccalaureate Colleges (North)” and “Economic Diversity Among Top-Ranked Schools: Baccalaureate Colleges (North).”

MMA also ranked seventh in the category titled “Average Freshmen Retention Rates: Baccalaureate Colleges (North).”

In both years, MMA held the third-ranked position within the regional list for “Top Public Baccalaureate Colleges,” placing behind two federally run academies. Maine Maritime Academy was the first publicly funded, state college to appear on that list.

MMA was founded in 1941 by an act of the 90th Maine Legislature and has no mandatory service obligations for any of its graduates. The college began the 2008-2009 academic year on Sept. 1 with maximum enrollment.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the category in which Maine Maritime Academy was evaluated, was defined as “…institutions [that] focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs — in the liberal arts, which account for fewer than half of the bachelor’s degrees, and in professional fields such as business, nursing and education.”

U.S. News & World Report reported that there were 319 baccalaureate colleges within the four regions that it considered nationwide.

Coolfusion wrote:

"... Mary Lou Cormier is only a recent resident, has no background in education, and was an appointed hack by the Governor to watch his back. Victoria Larson has her own self-interest agenda. "

I wonder if anyone has any question about YOUR agenda?

mmacpuguy :-) You rock... Please do not let coollfusion get a leg up... that person has a big chip... must not have been accepted at MMA!!!!! These students work hard for their educaton and then work harder when they get a job,BUT they get good paying jobs!! GOod for Maine for such a school!!

I am a native Mainer that now lives in Virginia. I am very proud that my son wants to attend MMA. I think that coolfusion is being a jerk & making the wonderful State of Maine look bad.

jenstone makes my point. She lives in Virginia.. and after her son rips off the state for $40,000 in subsidies, he will be living in Virginia too. My bet is that he applied as a Maine citizen.. not a citizen of virginia .. so he pays in-state tuition.

Jenstone doesn't make your point, because you don't have one. What are you talking about? $40,000 in subsidies? And do you run around and rant about out-of-state students at UMO or Southern Maine or Maine residents going to other states and going to school? It's about young Americans getting good education and most are proud that MMA is the best of the six maritime colleges in this country. You are trying to make a ridiculous point about taxes and students from out of state simply because the Abbott house is no longer on the tax rolls. Big deal.

Why don't you whine about the Nelson house being taken off the tax rolls because it was sold to the Castine Historical Society? Same issue, but you aren't intellectually honest enough to acknowledge it.

The fact is you don't care about Maine, public colleges, students or really even Castine.

I've never seen a bunch of small minded of folks get so worked up over one house being purchased in my life. The Abbott house being used as the President's home at MMA is your real issue and you thrash about, insulting the college, the trustees and anyone who goes to the school like a mad wet rooster stomping around.

Trying to say that out-of-state students are ripping off Maine taxpayers is a ridiculous strawman argument and an outright lie.

Folks, send your children to MMA and you will be pleased at the education and subsequent jobs they land. It's a great value for both in and out of state students. Pay no attention to the blowhard behind the curtain.