MILLINOCKET, Maine — The state will withhold about $216,000 in aid from Millinocket because town officials broke an agreement to share Dolby landfill operating costs, Gov. Paul LePage’s spokeswoman said Wednesday.
The spokeswoman, Adrienne Bennett, announced that East Millinocket and Millinocket will each get about $504,000 in Sudden and Severe Impact funds for the significant loss of taxable value the towns suffered with the sale of the two Katahdin region paper mills to the new Great Northern Paper Co. last year.
Millinocket would have received about $720,000, but unlike East Millinocket, officials from Millinocket opted out of their agreement to allocate $50,000 to the landfill, Bennett said. The state agreed to assume ownership of the formerly mill-operated landfill to free potential mill buyers from an enormous liability. It also agreed to pay $250,000 annually for landfill operating costs in exchange for $100,000 each year from both towns, she said.
“Millinocket is not honoring that deal,” Bennett said. “All parties agreed that they were going to pay for the costs associated with Dolby. Is it hardball? Yeah. Did they break a deal? Absolutely.”
State officials have “done everything in our power to keep our word. We expect the same from town officials,” Bennett added.
Millinocket Town Manager Eugene Conlogue denied that town leaders had broken their word.
Conlogue said he believed that the $50,000 would be a one-time payment. He said the state owes Millinocket about $720,000, but denied late Wednesday afternoon that the town had rescinded a Dec. 20 vote to allocate $50,000 to the landfill.
However, the Millinocket Town Council will discuss rescinding the deal during its meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday because LePage balked at indemnifying the town of any landfill operational liabilities and has withheld the Sudden and Severe Impact funds, Conlogue said.
“The town has tried to help the state with a landfill it does not own and is not even within the town limits,” Conlogue said in a statement Wednesday. “What the town has not agreed to do is to continue support for the landfill past June 30, 2012. The town has not broken its word on anything related to the landfill issue.”
Bennett said she believed the $50,000 payments for the East Millinocket-based landfill would continue beyond the current fiscal year.
“The agreement was that there would be an ongoing partnership between the two communities and the state regarding the Dolby landfill and the management of it,” Bennett said. “Nothing has changed on the East Millinocket side. Nothing has changed on the state’s end.”
Wednesday’s disagreement is not the first between state and both towns over the landfill. Conlogue accused LePage in late January of withholding state aid over the landfill, and East Millinocket and Millinocket both balked at landfill costs initially.
East Millinocket and Millinocket leaders said their towns were hurt worst by the tax loss and the mills’ shutdown, and that a lack of expertise and equipment would leave them ill-prepared to manage the landfill as state leaders desired.
East Millinocket immediately closed a school and both towns made enormous cuts to their budgets. The delay in releasing Sudden and Severe Impact funds also had both towns’ leaders concerned.
“These funds are desperately needed to pay our bills,” Conlogue said in an email to Rep. Herbert Clark, D-Millinocket, and Sen. Douglas Thomas, R-Ripley, in January.
Clark has a bill pending before the Legislature that would allocate $250,000 annually to landfill operations. Millinocket leaders initially made their $50,000 payment contingent upon LePage’s support of Clark’s bill, but dropped that requirement when LePage declined, Conlogue said.
State officials are also investigating whether a private firm would lease or buy the landfill, which town officials have said might make money for the region as a commercial operation. The state will seek proposals from businesses this week, Bennett said.
On Wednesday, East Millinocket leaders were grateful but wary of news of their $504,000 allocation.
“I am an optimist, but I don’t spend money until it’s in my hand,” Board of Selectmen Chairman Clint Linscott said. “When it is in our hands, I will believe it. I have no animosity towards the state. Whatever they are doing, they are doing.”
“We are just happy that it has been resolved and it has been worked out,” East Millinocket Superintendent of Schools Quenten Clark said. He added that the money was “at least two or three months behind” schedule. State officials told Clark that the first partial payment would be released by month’s end, with allocations coming monthly afterward.
Besides making the $50,000 payment, East Millinocket would have its workers plow the landfill road and handle other maintenance, Bennett said.
She painted Millinocket’s intransigence as a sort of betrayal of LePage, who she said worked hard to secure the mills deal. The restart of the East Millinocket mill last fall restored 216 full-time jobs to the Katahdin region, which saw its unemployment rate balloon to about 21 percent after the mill closed in April.
The mill’s restart dropped the region’s unemployment rate to about 16 percent. Cate Street Capital, owner of the new GNP, also promised to bring more jobs to the region with its plans to install a torrefied wood manufacturing plant at the Millinocket mill site by early next year.
As many as a half-dozen torrefied wood machines could be installed at the Millinocket site if the first machine is successful. The Millinocket mill’s restart will occur if market conditions permit, Cate Street officials have said.
“The governor and state government spent countless hours ensuring that the mills be revived,” Bennett said.
At the request of both towns, state officials also worked with previous mills owner Brookfield Asset Management and improved the revaluation deal the towns eventually secured, Bennett said.
Leaders of both towns praised LePage and state officials for their role in the mills’ revival. LePage drew praise particularly for convincing Brookfield to repeatedly delay the decommissioning of both mills during the lengthy search for a new owner of the mills.
State officials believe that the Millinocket schools and town will continue operating despite the $216,000 loss, and that suing the state over the funding loss would simply cost the town more money in legal costs, Bennett said.
“The school district will make it through the school year without any impact to teachers and students,” Bennett said. “We feel that this is a major concern: to not disrupt any jobs.”
LePage believes the $504,000 allocation to Millinocket is fair because town officials had given that town’s paper mill an unrealistically high assessment. They said the mill was worth $184 million in the years since its August 2009 closure and did not account for depreciation, Bennett said.
“We are in some financially challenging times. We need to be prudent about our resources,” Bennett said, “and if a district can get by on half a million dollars — and we feel that is reasonable — that should be a viable option for them.”
Let just give the dump back to them and let them figure out how to save themselves. It shouldn’t be this much work to offer help to a community.
They should go after Frasers parent compnay, so much for LLC’s
He can’t do that, this company i think funded part of his campaign to get new jobs for Maine, Oh, this promise was made over a year ago. He is not too concern as his Daughter still has hedr $43,000. job emptying waste baskets in his office, that is important:)
Can you blame him for that? Anyone in the state union machine would be sneaking his trash back to headquarters to look for dirt, real or otherwise.
Remember not to include East Millinocket in your tirade. They have kept their heads up and buckled down on this unfortunate situation. We would love to have the landfill back if they allow us to run it as a business. Millinocket deserves what they get. They are their worst own enemy.
Well, then tell the Governor you want it back and will pay for it, yea right. It is funny, I never heard about any negotiations with East, seems to me they were always hiding to see what the Gov. would say about Millinocket.
Better check your facts
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/12/29/business/east-millinocket-awaits-word-on-dolby-landfill-offer/?ref=relatedBox
East said “Linscott declined to say what the offer entails, saying that state officials had asked town leaders to keep it confidential until they had a chance to reply to it.’
Yes, it shows Millinocket’s proposal, that does not tell me what was promised behind closed dooors?
Once again that’s what confidentiality is. Keeping quiet.
What their proposal was, other than plowing the road.
The vast majority of people in this State, who are footing the bill for the Katahdin region, don’t distinguish between North, South, East, or West Millinocket. You are all in this together. The fact that you don’t recognize that is a big part of the problem.
Again I find myself being forced to totally agree with you on this topic. In another story related to these towns, I had mentioned about these people still wearing their old letter jackets from high school decades after graduating. This also reminds me of the Star Trek episode where the two lone surivors of an alien race keep fighting long after their whole civilization is lost. One man was white on one side and black on the other. His sworn enemy was just the opposite. Sure there are differences but not in any way that matter. It’s never going to change there.
You watch to much tv..lol
You know it! They are like children from rival schools who never grew up. I can’t believe they haven’t merged Schenck and Stearns high schools yet. There’s no excuse for carrying on this idiotic rivalry with the economic situation they are in. Even if they bring jobs back to both mills, they will never be at full capacity again. There is no excuse for operating two high schools and two separate administrative districts.
Millinocket and East Millinocket are acting like company towns with no company!
Used to have one Superintendant for a while, Millinocket wanted there own. So know we have two again.
East should get their own now.
Yes and Medway especially is vehemently against consolidation. Millinocket has tried several times to no avail.
Of course Millinocket wants to consolidate. It doesn’t affect them. The get more money to over budget with. East Millinocket will not bail out Millinocket. The consolidation talks were all one sided(Millinockets).
That is not factual, you know very well that middle school kids would go to Schenck. And since you are so well informed you know that their was more talk than that. Why, not East Millinocket bails Medway out. Then of course they speak more for the AOS then East. It affects everyone.
You are right we bail them out year after year. They pay a fraction of the actual cost to educate. I’ve heard the “It’s the state allowed amount for tuition” one too many times. They could agree to pay actual cost to educate their kids but hey I’m sure they enjoy the thousands they save on each high school student they send our way. I know they pay busing for games and what not….how much would that cost to contract with Bragdons?
I am sure Medway is happy with that arrangement. They may have asked Bragdon’s, but I doubt it.
For the upteenth time. There is no reason for Schenck to merge with Stearns. The education system in East is much better, the education the students are receiving is much better in East and there is no significant money to be saved. This is not about sports, this is about a school board and system in Millinocket, that doesn’t have a clue that their in trouble. We all know that the facility in Millinocket is much better. It’s the system we don’t trust. Our kids will receive a better education in East Millinocket, no one can dispute that. If Millinocket would allow the high school teachers to merge, the towns might look at it.
Really? Take a good look at the test scores then get back to me on that. My children attend school in East. One of my daughters friends moved to Millinocket and had a lot of problems because they are ahead of us. Don’t give me that bunch of BS.
The education both towns provide is crap. Go to some school board meetings and see what they are doing or failing to do. There are no electives to speak of in the high school. Medway Middle School is a joke of epic proportions. The 7th grade teachers and Mr Clark will tell you, you can’t educate a 7th grader. They are on a CIPS plan down there for Math and now that they are slowly climbing out of that hole their reading scores are dropping. They can’t walk and chew gum at the same time down there. Don’t even get me started on how the teachers treat the kids.
We need school choice. The state does as a whole but the Katahdin area desperately does. Then see where parents decide to send their children to school. I’m betting that it isn’t Medway.
I have looked at the scores and Schenck is higher than Stearns, Mattanawcook, Lee and Katahdin. Penquis is the only one in the area higher. While the scores are nothing to brag about they are improving every year. I don’t need to go to the board meetings, I stay home and make sure my children are doing homework and understanding it. Education starts at home.
I would bet that the kids you’re talking about don’t treat the teachers with any respect, either. Respect starts at home.
and what about Opal and Medway?
Exactly, I have had four kids go through MMS and they all done outstanding and never had any big issues with any teachers. My kids are respectable and I let the teachers know right up front if my kids are not respectful or are unrulyI want to know asap and I will deal with it. You know how many times I have had to deal with it, zero. They all knew if they get in trouble in school, the teachers are the least of there worrys. Its our job as a parent to bring them up right, its the teachers job to teach not babysit a bunch of disrespectful, ignorant, loudmouth kids that were raised by a bunch of baboons.
Well aren’t you lucky! Pretty sad when you are talking, not naming names, at the grocery store and someone comes up and says you must be talking about xyz and abc my children had problems with them too. Or better yet the MA at the doctors office said her parents had gone to the school board (at least they were allowed to speak) over the same teacher(s) back when she was in school there. It isn’t isolated to one or two students over 25 years but just about every student has a story involving inappropriate behavior from their time in the classroom with this teacher.
I have never had any behavior issues with any of my children, if I had it would have been dealt with at home more severely then what ever the teacher or principal would have done at school. They are far from perfect and make mistakes. They also don’t deserve to be treated that way by someone paid to teach them. Just listening to one of them talk about how you can’t teach them anything in 7th grade and the superintendent agreeing is disgusting. Amazing that every child in the area goes through puberty in 7th grade and comes back to 8th grade a good student/human being again.
I know who your talking about, I have had this teacher you speak of when they taught 5th grade many years ago. My kids have all had her. Still never had any major issues. There used to be teachers worse than this one, always have and always will.
I am very involved in my children’s education. I home school 1 who was being bullied by a teacher this year.
I find it hard to believe that all of the students who have gone through 7th grade at Medway for the past 20 years are all horrible disrespectufl students, as you imply. My child is very respectful of everyone. I wouldn’t tolerate anything less. Ask anyone in the area from 20 somethings to current student parents about 7th grade. I was told, make sure you keep all the papers your child does because they tend to get lost, most everyone just wants their child to survive 7th grade at Medway. Respect is a two way street. How much respect would you have for someone if they called you and your friends names daily? Then there is retaliation if a student or their parents complain. One of our school board members pulled her child out, wonder why that is? There is an attendance problem down there this year. Why is that? Could it be these students don’t want to go listen to a teacher tell them how lazy, stupid or fat they are? Maybe it was the comment about being lucky if they got to work at McDonald’s flipping burgers with the rest of the retards.
If you aren’t actively involved in your child’s schools via school board meetings or volunteering during the day in the schools how do you know what is going on in the schools, what they are being taught or what they are planning on implementing.
Opal Myrick on monitor in math and making AYP in reading. The school is
on monitor status. They are in Safe Harbor, meaning a subgroup made
their target but the school as a whole did not.
Granite Street on monitor status for reading and on CIPS 1 for Math. Targets not met so not in Safe Harbor.
Medway Middle School test results reading they are on monitor status and
they are on CIPS 2 in Math and on hold. They are in Safe Harbor.
Millinocket Middle School making AYP in reading they are on monitor status for Math. They are in Safe Harbor.
Schenck High School making AYP in everything. Not in Safe Harbor.
Stearns High School is on CIPS 1 in reading and math. Not in safe harbor.
Then take into consideration that kids are losing on their NECAP scores in the middle school due to ineffective teachers at that level. You had a very good high school science teacher who handed in his resignation in October because the students coming in to the high school are not prepared and instead of teaching high school science he is teaching to catch them back up and they are missing what they need to move on in science.
I would say the teachers at Schenck are the only reason they are making AYP. They put in twice the work to bring these students back to the level they should be at after completing middle school.
“If you aren’t actively involved in your child’s schools”
I don’t need to know everything that is going on the schools. The teachers are teaching and my children are learning. I can see that. Would I like more for my children sure I would. I chose to live here and raise my children. I know that I will have to push and push at home to make sure the education is more than adequate. I know they won’t have the opportunities they would have in larger schools. I will supplement that. The scores don’t really mean crap one year they meet and if they don’t improve there on monitor status the next. The school board member is a hypocrite. She doesn’t even have her daughter in either school. Which means she is only on the board to cut not improve the learning of the students.
um she has a child in public school. She is one of 5 on the board.
Testing ?
We just have to read the comments here to see that the folks in East Millinoket are better educated.
LOL that is because some of their teachers and staff come from Stearns.
What do you think Millinocket is going to do come August when they don’t receive their certification? Yea you heard me… they lied last summer and said they were having AP classes… NOT!! And even if they bend over and take this it won’t solve anything because the school board already spent the S&S money twice and the town at least once!! Even with the S&S money you are still up the river without a paddle and oh yea they just let the water goooooooooo over Rip dam! Start swimming FAST!!
I don’t care what Millinocket does, as long as it doesn’t include East. From what I see and hear, all they want are the students to save the football program and increase the revenue.
School choice is where it’s at. I pray every day the state passes it. Then people can take their children where they want them to go. Problem solved for lots of students who would rather go to Millinocket and even Lincoln.
So you want to take your kids to a school where the test scores are lower. Doesn’t make sense.
I never said that. I will continue to home school but I would send my child to a lower performing school to get away from the abuse being allowed at Medway Middle if I couldn’t home school. Like you said there are things that can be done at home to supplement. I would send them both to a public school that wasn’t on a CIPS plan or on Monitor status and the only one that fits that bill in this area is Lincoln.
Three online academies have been approved by the state and hopefully they will be included as ‘choice’ schools. I would love to get them into K12. It will give other parents who are at wits end and can’t homeschool a choice in where their children go to school. I know a lot of them would move their children to Lincoln or Millinocket to get them out of that school.
I just have to wonder what you think about the older 2 gentlemen on the school board. They have no children in the school system anymore. I can tell you, honestly, I didn’t like some of the things they were doing. After attending meetings and hearing why they were doing the things they are, I totally appreciate the time they devote to the school board and all the issues put before them.
hahaha that is funny considering… Do you think Schenck is accredited? Sorry to tell you we are not. The Vice Principal tried to get a grant. She wrote it up and submitted it. It was returned with a sorry your school isn’t accredited and therefore you can’t get this grant.
That was also the plot to a episode of stargate atlantis.
I was referring to the comment “dont’ include East in your tirade” basically saying they were or did their part. What I would like to know at the initally talks, did Millinocket commit to paying that amount of money. As far as East I I heard was they would plow the roads and do some maintainance I believe?
East Millinocket is plowing, maintaining, an the police are to patrol it, several times a day & night, plus the $50,000, let Millinocket be their own worst enemy, always has & always will, the town manager is the towns worst enemy, the selectmen are in his sleeve, & if both schools merge, let the Minutemen come to Schenck.
I would say let an independent firm evaluate both schools, and see what they say? I did not hear anything from the state that it was acceptable
And East will probably have to haul the excess leachate this spring as well. Keep doing a good job East,. When Casella moves in to run it for profit and Millinocket wants to get in on the action, tell Millinocket to go pound sand.
As far as I know the East made their payment.
I don’t recall reading that, can you find the article that said it. All I ever saw, was East was still waiting for word on their proposal?
Once again the Millinocket attitude. We listened to the Governor and the State. WE appreciated what they did for our community and still do. We would never hide behind anyone, we just sat back and watched the circus in Millinocket.
Listened, and did what? Yes,you plowed the road. I do not recall seeing East proposal, is that still relagated to secrecy?
Oh oh. Something tells me that Millinocket has just made a big bad mistake. This is not the way for them to get the Certified Business Friendly Community tag. I bet the Governor will really punish them for this screw up. I bet they will have to send in 4 box tops before they can get their magic decoder ring and be able to get the Governor’s secret messages.
Come on, this is the same community that thinks the forest products industry isn’t declining and that they don’t need to ever consider a different industry to support themselves.
It wasn’t “help” to the community. It was “help” to the new owners of the paper mill .
Perhaps the state should purchase the mills and run them? It would benefit the local workers and unions while “growing” the local economy.
Federally-owned businesses usually (not always but often) receive subsidies, etc. that can cushion them and keep them from achieving efficiency and competitiveness–albeit, this also happens with a number of private industries. My point is, it isn’t good! We shouldn’t have to float the Dolby landfill for the mill, or mills, to be in operation. We WILL need another solution if the mills are to be competitive and succeed.
If it was no help to the community why didnt they just let them scrap the mills.
“No soup for you!!!”
We should be asking why so much taxpayer money is being lost into this mess, and if corporate wealthfare is really worth it.
sounds like someone is not getting their personal pocket money. Now just who would that be?
Hey Paul tell us who you think it is?
Close this landfill, it never should have been approved. Politics was it’s cause and politics is it’s problem now. Any reasonable person can see this is not a place for such a landfill.
Why close it? It could be a revenue stream to the local schools and rid them of the sudden and severe assistance. Bring them back to the hey days when the town received nothing in subsidy.
You’re kiddin right? All the land that was available for this project and they built it within yards of a river. Just plain idiots.
Typical for Millinocket!!
The deal was trash to begin with.
LePage wants to take down another mural……Millinocket!! Go get em’ Pauli.
I want to find out if it was fact first that Millinocket said they would pay $100,000? Since most of the meetings were behind closed doors, it would be nice to see a transcript? Though we know the Town of Millinocket does not like to keep its word.I think that is how much they owe the retiree’s right now. So more than likely I have to beleive it!
Maybe they can take the $216,000 and put it towards the land fill.
That would be too easy, it is easy for LePage to balk and make a news article of it. It is his way or the highway, he doesn’t need to pony up any proof on his end.
LePage was most likely being proactive putting this info out today. I’d be interested in Dr Smith’s letter to the Governor. Why isn’t that included in the article? He may not be from Millinocket but he has the attitude down pat.
I would be interested in anything LePage has to back it up, we should have it by now right? I thought this was a transparent Government? (sarcasm)
I do not care if it is LePage or the Town, I would just like to know the actually facts if that is possible.
Eventually the BDN will wake up to the level of reporting by Mr. Sambides, eventually.
What level is that? This is she said/he said story with no supporting documents or information. I am left still not knowing who has screwed who here. Perhaps thats best, as dealing with Millinocket i would put a bag over my own head first.
how is 50k = to 216K
They used those Mardens ( slight water damage) computers from DHHS
Maybe LePage want’s the 216K earmarked for the poor and unemployed.
Why not dock the $50K from the $216k? Oh, wait, this is the state government. We wouldn’t want to reduce red tape, huh?
50 grand per year. So they took 4 years off the top. Now they can deal with it. Millinocket shouldn’t have counted on those chickens before they hatched now should they? The money was spent months ago, now the school board is taking the town to court over this magical money that appears out of no where. Spending more money they don’t have. When will they learn?
Edited to add:
Don’t forget how excited the town council was that the school board reduced their budget. One councilman said he didn’t care how they had done it, funky accounting or not, he was just pleased as punch they had done it. Well, now what?
Don’t forget the school balanced their budget on the S&S money spent 2x and the 30 imaginary Chinese kids tuition! HAHAHAHAHA even IF they bent over now and got the S&S money it won’t make a bit of difference to the school budget… and remember the school spent it 2x and then the town spent it again!!! roflmao I wish fb let you like something 3 billion times!! Oh Millinocket families with Juniors’ or lower in school better start scoping out schools for next fall!
Or if you have a Senior that isn’t graduating… what was it oh yea 80% flunking!
If 80% of the kids flunk, I will buy you all the hotdogs and doughboys you can eat for a year! Now that I think of it, good thing I am going to win this bet, I would go broke if not.
You’d get off really cheap I don’t eat Maine red hot dogs and doughboys are gross! If you indeed had any idea what was going on in your schools in Millinocket you’d know that is the percentage that were flunking in November when the parents were all hauled into school to be belittled by the administration that it was THEIR fault the kids were failing.
I thought I saw you eating a doughboy at Summerfest!
My son just graduated in 2011 with honors from Stearns in with a class that about half graduated with honors. Somewhere around 90% go onto to higher education. That stat has been around for sometime. BTW-he has made dean’s list in the toughest program at UMO. I don’t think Millinocket schools take a back seat to East.
Wow I bet he made the dean’s list taking the two years of make up classes before he actually starts his freshman year because none of the classes at Stearns are up to par!! By the way if you search the BDN you will see the head of the colleges here in Maine admitting that 80% of the kids entering college from Maine high schools need two years of high school before they begin their true freshman classes in college. AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GRADUATE WITH HONORS IN A HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS NO COLLEGE PREP AP CLASSES!! Milli just hasn’t faced reality yet.
That’s a bet you would lose. Please donate $100 bucks to the Stearn’s scholarship program. Your comments are beyond foolish. He took every course needed at Stearns, took the entrance math exam at UMO, placed in a higher level, and makes the dean’s list in a tough program. You seem to have a problem with success. BTW-I graduated from Schenck and and at the top of my class in college and will say that my son has had a tougher curriculim than I ever had.
Maybe East can get the 7 million they need for repairs too. Get your facts straight and stop spreading propaganda about flunking.
Maybe you should get your facts straight the total amount to bring the entire school up to current code is $3.2 million. That includes having to replace the exhaust fans in the Chemistry classroom because the code changed yet again. How about you get your facts straight?
East has put off needed repairs to their school. It is called living within their means. Something Millinocket doesn’t seem to understand.
“current code” is that all it needs to repair the roof, and other things that should be replaced? Again how old is your boiler? It was necessary the boilers be replaced in the schools. As far as the Chinese thing, they have other priorities the Millinocket School Board should be concerned with.
They are only allowed to spend a certain amount of money before it triggers a complete revamping of the school. It used to be $100 or 150,000 but I believe it was raised to $250,000 last year. Once you hit that amount you have to have engineers come in and go over everything. East had them do that last year. Some of the things that need to be done for ‘code’ purposes are a bit over the top and had to do with moving electrical outlets up to a certain height….I’m trying to remember that whole meeting with the engineers but only certain things stuck out to me then.
Some of the things are air handlers, the chem lab hoods, the roof, ADA compliant issues, lips on some of the doors, and no the boilers were not included in that because it is up to code. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be replaced just that it doesn’t have to be replaced. I do believe it was included in the engineers report and added into the final numbers though.
I understand that the boilers had to be replaced in Millinocket. I don’t understand why they didn’t just do 1 boiler and put all the kids in one building to make things cost effective. I remember when they had 3 elementary schools, a huge middle school and Stearns. The numbers just do not justify keeping 2 schools open up there. The student population numbers are going down every year. It isn’t up to me and I’m not a tax payer in Millinocket but as a tax payer in East, who needs to be sold on ‘consolidation’, I see a lot of money being spend on buildings up there that could and should be spent on actually educating students.
Things have changed up here in the Katahdin Region. It isn’t cost effective to be heating huge schools for a few hundred students. When I attended Stearns there were close to 500 students in there with plenty of room to spare. You have added on to the building to house th middle school and I’m wondering how many student are actually in that building now? There is no reason a wing couldn’t have been retro fitted to house the elementary students. I would think that the old ‘business classes’ wing of the school for elementary students would be plenty. Are there even 500 students total in Millinocket schools now?
The fixing of the 2nd boiler, I am not going to say it was shady. The council was not aware of it, they apprently cut a few corners on other areas and they say still it was around or below the approved amount.I am welll aware of how many use to be there, I had almost 800 in 4 grades. I am not sure what the figure is now.
Bruce the facts are correct and repeated many times during the school board meetings and at the meeting parents were dragged to.
Yes, to bring it up to to current code. Still 3.2 million is a lot of money when there is none. And what happens like Stearns, your boilers break down. It may have been repeated, but 3.2 is the tip of the iceberg.
It’s actually a smart play by the governor , if you hold all the chickens someone will eventually beg to eat !
Should have payed the 50,000 and they wouldn’t have to cry about it know. Boo Hoo woe is me.
This $50000 is just chump change compared to Lepage illegally giving Brookfield management of Toronto Canada $17 million of our tax dollars for the Dolby landfill. What Lepage did is a direct violation of the Maine Constitution.
Article IX, Section 14 of the Maine Constitution requires that before the state can take on any liability greater than $2 million, the Legislature must approve of the action by a two-thirds vote and then be approved in a general election by Maine voters
http://www.maine.gov/legis/const/Constitution2005-14.htm
Was it illegal when Baldy done the same thing in Oldtown?
No. Baldy’s deal was legal because he got Casella Waste Systems to supply the cash for the Old Town landfill.. So no law was broken since we didn’t actually take on any liability.
The Dolby landfill is being funded by the tax payers of Maine who are supplying the $17 million that Lepage gave to Brookfield Management of Toronto Canada. So it is illegal under Maine law and common sense.
The state assumed liabilty for the landfill for approximatley seventeen million, There has been no cash given to anyone. The state is still liable for the same things in Oldtown as well, Cassella manages it. They dont own it.
The law doesn’t forbid the state from owning a landfill it only says we can’t take on any liability greater than 2 million without voter approval. The Juniper ridge landfill cost 26 million to clean up which Cassella waste management is paying for and not the tax payers of Maine. Hence no liability was incurred by the tax payers.
Lepage on the other hand has agreed to pay for the 17 million cost to clean up the Dolby landfill in order to help out his friends at Brookfield Management in Canada.
This $17 million will be paid for by you and I out of the state budget once the clean up begins. In the mean time we will also be paying the $250000 per year costs to run the dumps since the Canadian investors didn’t kept their word to reopened both mills.
“He took my candy first.” said the 8 year old.
AND You just totally ignored the reply .
“They can do anything to you that you cannot stop them from doing.”
–Yossarian
From the Sopranos- Episode 11
(A garbage driver has dumped garbage outside a complaining customer’s mini-mart)
Richie: You called to complain yesterday? That’s our policy, it’s written on the side of our
trucks. Double your garbage back if you’re not satisfied.
Siraj: I complained because you didn’t make full pickups on 12/16 and 12/20, and then I get charged double!
Richie:Yeah, we had to come out twice (laughs)
Siraj:You charged me for pickups you missed.
Richie:My dispatcher asked you: if you’re not satisfied, did you want your garbage back?
Siraj:Of course I don’t want garbage back!
Richie: Then you are satisfied!
Siraj: You’re talking s**t to me.
Like the $5 Footlong Pose in the picture
y not
Conlogue is being exposed for the liar he is.
Conlogue has some percieved racist attitudes against Native americans also
No wonder he offends me so…..
LaPudge just fights with everybody
I’m fairly supportive of Lepage, but your derogatory nickname for him
is the best. Its far better than “The Penguin”, as Bangorian and the
other moonbats use. What a culturally relevant Batman reference.
i am form millinocket and i do not think any of the town council members no what they doing. I f the governor says what he is saying is true, then both towns should honor the original agreement.
You grew up there and attended school in Millinocket? I never would have guessed!
The level of education they are putting out up there is beyond reproach. East really should consolidate with them. **Please note the sarcasm in my post**
Oh Damnyou2 must you be sooooo nice to them? Oh I forgot can’t blame those Millinocket folks. Just because their curriculum is at a level just a few lines above cave men drawings!
Lolli,
The curriculum in Millinocket is no easier than East. East’s problems are with the teachers!
Medway’s problems are with the teachers. At least East Millinocket does not allow daily abuse by ignorant teachers. Just sayin’
Maine Guy put your memory tape back in your vcr and hit play… report cards issued 4 or 5 times before correct because your teachers can’t even enter numbers correctly in a computer. Art teacher that logs on a porn site ( great blocks on the internet there folks ) to teach Middle Schooler’s how to draw the human body? The abrupt disappearance of another male athletic dept employee? Shall I go on? The facts do not lie… you have no AP classes!
speaking of cave men, how are you?
Them??? What about you…lol :)
East Mill has been plowing and providing security at the facility all winter also.
Surely this could have been handled without a lot less fanfare. Why didn’t Mr LePage call Mr Conlogue and say — Hey Gene you know the last $216,000 in sudden impact funds — it is going to be short 50 thou to cover the cost of our agreement , you handle the accounting any way you want.
But oh no Mr LePage saw a little ground to grandstand on and sent Ms Bennett to the media. Now knowing that Mr Conlogue is a democrat is this maybe a little political tit for tat ?
And come on Gene a deal is a deal — man up.
IF you watched the council meetings on KAT TV or live in person you would know that although he lied to the reporter today… they knew exactly what they signed and agreed to and the possible ramifications thereof!
I think all the taxpayers in town should attend that meeting Thursday night and let the council know that they need to apologize to Lepage and pay up or they’ll be replaced ! They certainly wanted , begged for and welcomed the help from the governor to make this deal a reality. Pretty arrogant of the town council members I think and not indicative of the taxpayers in general. It’s time to take an active roll in your town politics folks , it’s the only way government will work otherwise you get problems like this. Get to the council meeting Thursday or shut up and pay your increased taxes.
Might be surprised there might just be some former Milli residents there to watch the hilarity!! Because you know if it gets good and the shoutin’ starts and the slamming the gavel, and the not waiting your turn it won’t play on KAT!
Wouldnt be as much fun, He is making a point to the entitlement crowd.
A better pair could not be imagined.
so what do you expect from from millinocket council bunch of swinglers .political gaine and broken agreements .Not the first time nither .town should start from scratch and get rid of the bad apples
one has a brain fart and the rest thinks its a good idea .and a bunch of cheats .
That’s a good explaination of the Millinocket council ! It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye !
i think you could look deeper and find another word for him .i think the MMA should do some investigating
Can anyone at these places read or write a clear contract? It might have prevented the Govnah’s mouthpiece from having to say “she believes…” Can she read a contract? Did the state commit to paying hundreds of thousands of STATE TAX DOLLARS without a contract? Amazing.
What? nothing from Me. forest or Nopark?
HI ! ;<)
You ARE ……..FUNNIE ?!?!??!
No,…..I’m not funny……..John Mitchell, a.k.a. GOD, and probably the owner of Smith and Wesson, the savior of the NRA, a Watergate conspirator ………..NOW THATS FUNNY! Have a nice trip following me. on Disqus….I won’t do the same, because I would get bored very quickly. Note how I spelled that word…..
it’s spelled f-u-n-n-y………..Einstein.
You crack me up rusjan, I like your cents of hummer :<)
I miss-spell on purpose to see if others really notice and take the time to actually read posts,,,, life is boring in the winter, don'cha think ?
I'll call a truce and let by-gones be by-gones, oK ? Just tryin' to have some innocent fun, nuttin' personal,,, sorry to have offended you, really !
Hey, we are all Americans here and hopefully, if it came right down to it , I know that we'd back each other if things were getting really ugly with those who would enjoy nothing more than to deprive us of our God given, Constitutional Rights.
Peace & Love rusjan, & God Bless The USA !!! ;<) Sincerly yours, 357magman
I have commented, but it keeps on getting censored
I don’t know the specifics Forest, the article doesn’t really give that much information, I’m certain that the town will have something to say, at least I hope that they do.
Perhaps, you can now understand our mistrust of this particular governor, just a tiny bit?
Let him post, please BDN, it’s important to the area.
In an effort to assure my comment gets through—
There is a lot more to this story and most of the overall problem has been caused by miscommunication leading to adverse stances.
One thing about our Great Governor Paul LePage that I like is, he is not a wimp.. All of our previous Governors and most politicans never make waves when the want to get re-elected. They tiptoe through the tulips.. Governor Paul LePage always grabs the Bull by the Horns.. It is refreashing. Thank You Governor Paul LePage!!!!
Wow! Maybe the Pope should canonize him
One thing about LePage is that once the facts come out we can be sure he will tell us he misunderstood what he was saying.
You know this is just a another in a series of press releases from his office. Today, is the “I’m a tough negotiator” one. Yesterday was ” I’m focusing on jobs and red tape”. The other day was ” I’m the Commander in Chief”.
This story will start picking up facts on Friday
You wanted him…you voted for him…you got him…Congratulations. Gonna listen NEXT time???
I know , Millinocket needs to rid itself of those council members and their closed door deals !
Lets go back to a selectman form of government. one person one vote.
error
Mill Towns are Union Towns, see what I getting at here??? Noting can be done without someone from Chicago telling them what to do…
LePage is an ALEC crony. Nothing can be honored without their blessing.
Let them work out a plea bargain…
Also sprach der Fuhrer.
Heil LePage!
I take it that the Nockets won’t be getting a “business friendly certificate” soon? It does matter to me that the state brokered this deal, not solely the town.
How bad can this guy screw it up? Talk big and blame later. Cry about your dump dollars….
“The state agreed to assume ownership of the formerly mill-operated landfill to free potential mill buyers from an enormous liability.” Now it’s OUR “enormous liability”!!!
Way to go Mr big mouth job creator! He’s lucky he’s not running for reelection this year.
Hey, I may finally agree with something Gov. LePage is doing. If we follow the same philosophy every elected official has broken their word and reneged on promises to us so lets stop all payments to them (including you Paul) and we’ll be well on our way to solving the state’s financial crisis.
Looks like another Big Government Obama backed boondogle to me.
Add Millinocket to the long list that want this jerk gone next election…..
I think Conologue’s position is appointed not elected.
Millinocket didnt vote for him last time, I dont think it will matter next time eithier.
No No, he will just take their Mural and hide it as punishment:) See any new jobs yet Gov.?
Sadly, the people of Millinocket are nothing but boot-licking camp dogs. Why don’t you start taking care of yourselves for a change, like the rest of us? You are always looking for handouts from the State or the Feds, yet you are so poor and undeserving that you verbally crucify Lepage, Quimby, and everyone else that tries to work with you. You think you are something special. Newsflash. You’re not.
East Millinocket is holding up their end of the bargain. Cowboy up for once.
“The town spent $80,625 in DOT funds and $44,375 in municipal funds” for a multiuse recreational trail” named after Mike Michaud, last year. That’s like buying a new snowmobile when you are late on your mortgage payment. And you do so at the expense of other taxpayers that actually have a job.
You are already despised by everyone else in the State. Keep listening to Conlogue and you will continue to be the laughing stock of everyone else. Get out of my wallet you bums.
You are so far out in left field, you don’t even know it. Do you really want to get a tally of State funds that goes to city’s and towns, I think you will be surprised. Let us know what town you live in, I will get those numbers for you. I have not met anyone from Millinocket that talks bad about the people of East Millinocket, so you seem to me to be the one here full of hatred. Politics is Politics, it does not a reflection on the hard working people of the Katahdin area. Please show me where a large percent of anyone from the area have crucified Lepage, or anyone else that has tried to work with the area, as you put it. MOST of all the katahdin area is against Quimby, so how does that apply to Millinocket only. Get a life.
Give Millinocket a break and they screw the state taxpayers.
Again – the State should buy the mills and manage them – a boost to the workers, unions, and local economy; also maybe generate revenue for the state!
Not the States job. Mills have come and gone for hundreds of years. You want a mill, you buy it and run it.
Get the State out of this dieing industry.
The State of Maine couldnt run a lemonade stand!
It is not the state’s function to own businesses.
Nice pic, Mrs. LePage only wishes……..
if thats the case , i want the state to demand our money back from iraq , afgan , israel , most of europe , the wall street crowd , the big three , ect , ect , ect.
not making friend UP North there GUV.
So typical of the style of governance practiced by the town manager of Milli and his corrupt cronies. They have done a good job of driving this town to the brink of oblivion. Humans are an endangered species in this neck of the woods and will be extinct within the decade. Go National Park!!
You will never see it in your lifetime, never!
Five Dollar Foot Lonnnnnnggg!
http://bdnpull.bangorpublishing.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/State-of-the-State-Maine-600×556.jpg
Milli-nut-cases …. Where the redneck clowns run the show …. Providing an endless series of miseries …. Nobody does it better…..
I love how you NP supporters slam the Millinocket area every chance you get. Keep them coming and you still will not get your park!
Must have been another computer glitch.
Someone defaulted on something but i do not see the black and white here to support who did what. If you are going to report something then put the whole process in the article so one can form the correct opinion. till them Millinocket pay up I for one am tired of watching this area constantly getting the attention that it does only to hear them cry foul when things don’t go their way. The state bailed you out by getting the landfill out of the way now you do your part.
I said the State should take over the mills – not the federal government (but I would support that option) – perhaps Maine government could set an example for other states? Obviously the private sector hasn’t done it successfully (run the mills), why not the government?
So it would be all right for the Feds to buy and operate the mill, but not run a park. I thought we didnt want federal control. Oh i get it, only whaen we think it will help us. I think some people smoke to much crack.
Good to see such upstanding types as the goobernor and the Millinocket council duking it out!!!
If the towns agreed to this, as the LePage administration is claiming, it should be in writing. I want to see the written copy.
Conlogue is misrepresenting his own town by ticking off the state.
East Millinocket, Medway and Millinocket also known as Dumb, Dumb and Dumber.
Hey, Keep Medway out of this fiasco! LOL
You can’t mention a NP to the town manager or council. They would rather have a much larger toxic dump that flows into the West Branch of the Penobscot River.
They are just following the “Augusta Gang” of “Bait and Switch”…!
I love how BDN posts a picture of Lepage clapping, so that the reader will attribute a negative feeling towards him from the article.
fiunny how this is going to a different topic we start with landfill and the next thing you know they are talking about education.
Thank you everyone. I have enjoyed the banter and hope I was an asset and not a debit like our not so tactful Governor LaRage.