Penquis, Veazie plans
The text of the May 22 letter to the editor, “Residents need to know,” began with identifying a rumor that a new office building is being constructed in Veazie to “house executives for Penquis CAP.”
Penquis is in discussion with the town of Veazie concerning the feasibility of converting the old Community Center into affordable senior housing. The town and Penquis are not withholding any information, but are simply in the preliminary stages of research to determine if conditions are right to move to a formal process. It would be during this procedure that public hearings would be conducted.
A number of years ago, Penquis developed what is now John R. Graham Senior Housing. At that time the Town Council began talks on the reuse of the aging Community Center. Up for consideration was housing or business incubation at the facility. Nothing is officially proposed until a formal submittal is made. Further, it is a normal procedure for the town not to disclose preliminary information because it is not official and would be, in fact, only a rumor. Development is considered somewhat confidential until a final submittal is released.
Penquis has met with the town rendering an interest in developing housing.
I applaud the town of Veazie for its desire to meet the affordable housing needs of the community. The Town Council’s meeting minutes mention Penquis and they imply the new building is for housing. The minutes are accurate.
Stephen B. Mooers
Penquis
Bangor
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Osprey loses to DOT
As a veteran traveler around frost heave heaven down on the peninsula, I didn’t think Maine DOT could do anything to further lessen its local popularity.
This spring it removed an active osprey nest, one of significant local interest, from the Deer Isle-Sedgewick Bridge. The DOT returned a few times to discourage attempts to rebuild. When challenged, an agency representative claimed the action was “authorized” because the nest was “inactive.” Horse poop.
Apparently in Maine, osprey don’t enjoy the same status of protection as they do elsewhere in New England. Or maybe DOT gets to make its own rules. Perhaps Inland Fisheries and Wildlife doesn’t feel comfortable challenging the much bigger DOT. DOT doesn’t care because it doesn’t have to. The condition of the roads aren’t its fault (not enough money), and protected birds nesting in nontraditional locations are “inactive.”
Before retiring as commissioner of Environmental Protection in another New England state whose DEP included all of that state’s resource protection agencies (we were big enough to take on DOT), a similar situation resulted in penalties, including erecting an alternative nest platform nearby. A decade later the alternative site is still in use, close to way more traffic than the Deer Isle-Sedgewick Bridge.
It probably is too late for this year in spite of the good efforts by Mr. Fleming of Little Deer Isle to get someone to intervene. He got no help, and in this the district of both the Speaker of the House and the Senate chair of the Transportation Committee. Amazing!
No wonder the roads aren’t getting fixed.
Arthur J. Rocqueit Jr.
Stonington
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Baxter response
I found Mr. Chase’s letter to the editor (“Favoritism in Baxter,” BDN, May 20) so bizarre, misplaced and without factual basis, that I am compelled to comment. Like Mr. Chase, I have enjoyed Baxter Park since the 1970s, winter and summer. Since 1986 I have served on committees that evaluated and recommended changes to park rules.
Baxter State Park has many rules, most of which are current, on the mark, and address matters worthy of regulation.
The Park Authority periodically changes park rules when warranted. Changes are initiated from within and from without — in reaction to thoughtful observations from park staff and users. The Authority is responsive to constructive suggestions when they are consistent with the deeds of gift, public policy and sound management practices. For example, the park is in the midst of a wholesale change of the winter rules that Mr. Chase complains about.
Mr. Chase’s effort would be more constructively directed toward the open and transparent process that exists for the review of rules and setting policy. In response to Mr. Chase’s allegations of special privileges, park volunteers are often housed in a crew camp or other facility during a volunteer stint. As a volunteer, I have de-fended this practice when some observers have characterized this housing as a special privilege. Exchanging a bunk for volunteer labor is not a privilege — it is common sense.
The public should know that the park has not taken a General Fund appropriation for more than 35 years — the park is self-supporting, relying on Percival Baxter’s endowment and user fees.
John Loyd
Harpswell
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Support TRADE Act
The compelling story published last week about the hardships faced by many families in Piscataquis County mentioned layoffs and mill closings as a major cause of poverty in the region. Good-paying manufacturing jobs have been replaced by fewer low-paying service-sector jobs in the county and across our state.
Our nation’s trade policy is a root cause of many of these devastating job losses. Mainers have suffered tremendously as a result of “free trade” agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, and yet Congress is still considering expanding this failed economic model. NAFTA and the agreements patterned after it continue to take good jobs away, and yet right now Congress is considering the Panama Free Trade Agreement, a NAFTA-like expansion to a country that is a leading corporate tax haven.
I hope Sen. Collins will join the rest of Maine’s congressional delegation and oppose the Panama FTA. We can have trade that doesn’t ruin our economy. I urge Sens. Snowe and Collins to join Reps. Michaud and Pingree in supporting the TRADE Act — Rep. Michaud’s bill to set us on a new course for fair trade, a trading system that respects workers and sustains our economy.
Jonathan Falk
Carmel
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