I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the American Journal staff for providing extensive coverage of the Gorham dispatch issue and of the referendum voting. They provided a tremendous public service. I found their reporting to be fair, balanced, and objective, giving everyone wishing to speak on this issue an opportunity to present their views. Bob Lowell worked tirelessly in his reporting and took a genuine interest in this story. Editor Brendan Moran, while not abandoning his support for regionalization, took the time to listen to our point of view and presented his editorial positions from a knowledgeable perspective. They were professional yet involved, objective yet caring, desirable qualities for a local newspaper.

The dispatch referendum has been decided. Fewer than the required minimum 20 percent of the registered voters showed up for the special one item Monday election. With 1,758 votes cast, more people voted on this issue than the 637 voters who decided to spend nearly $8 million on the Shaw School renovation, that measure passing by only 37 votes. The support for keeping our dispatch in Gorham was evident in the voting, winning the popular vote in all three districts and central. Let’s hope the council hears the voices of those voters and works to address their concerns.

I have no regrets for my part in this citizens’ initiative. I maintain my belief that we have lost something of great value, something greater than any potential cost savings. It’s a complicated issue, one that is difficult for people outside of the emergency services community to understand. I am thankful that we had the opportunity to share our concerns and to educate the public.

The biggest complaint we heard from the public during this process was the speed with which the town moved to turn over dispatch operations while a citizens’ challenge was underway. It’s time for a town charter change that delays the implementation of council decisions when a challenge is declared. Stopping the outsourcing of dispatch services was like trying to stop a speeding locomotive. Who can stop the council from implementing a bad decision? The answer is no one. That’s a scary thought. A charter change would make future town councils more accountable to their citizenry.

In the end, there wasn’t enough public interest to validate the majority position of those who voted. That’s the sad part. How long can our town remain a democracy when we pass on our civic responsibility to vote, regardless of the issue? Apathy opens the door to tyranny.

Steve Morin

Gorham