Thumbs down to the inability of the City of Biddeford and its firefighters union to come to an agreement on a new contract. In tough times, some cuts will have to be made in municipal spending ”“ even for those who put their lives on the line when they’re on the job ”“ so increases in health insurance premiums can be expected.

But the city shouldn’t be dictating what types of shifts firefighters will work or drastically cutting benefits such as sick days. With respect for the city’s financial situation and for the job the firefighters do, the two parties ought to be able to find common ground.

Thumbs up to Christian therapist George Adams, who founded Yeshua’s Rest to help returning military personnel re-adapt to civilian life. Switching gears from combat to quiet nights at home can be more of a challenge than many realize and Adams should be commended for offering his method of readjusting.

Thumbs up to Julie Smyth of Old Orchard Beach’s Loranger Middle School, who was recently named the state’s Assistant Principal of the Year. With such strong competition, it is no doubt that Smyth earned the honor and will make a name for her town and school as she carries the title this year.

Thumbs up to the staff and volunteers of the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, which quickly responded to cases of canine distemper and has quarantined the exposed dogs. Their devotion to rehabilitating the sickened dogs and offering therapy to all those who might have been exposed is just another example of their dedication to animals’ well being.

Thumbs up to the City of Biddeford’s decision to rename Thacher Brook Business Park in honor of the late economic development director, Bob Dodge. The city’s industrial and business parks owe much to Dodge’s work, as does the downtown, and this effort will memorialize his name for generations to come.

Thumbs up to Sanford for taking the definitive step to require recycling townwide. Carrots only work for so long until the stick has to come out, as pay-per-bag communities have found. This initiative, which would fine people for non-compliance or suspend trash pick-up if they fail to recycle, will normalize recycling for residents. Soon, no one will think of tossing plastics and cardboard in their trash can any more than they would think to toss a banana peel into their washing machine. EcoMaine’s single sort recycling has made it easy for residents to separate their wastes so that the environment will be impacted less.

Thumbs up to all the volunteers, from various organizations, who will be spending this Thanksgiving serving others. Whether it’s cooking up a community meal, delivering food to the housebound, chopping vegetables or sweeping floors, those who give of their time to brighten the holiday for others are to be commended for making York County a friendly place to live.

Thumbs up to the county commissioners for once again considering development of a county charter, which would guide the county by defining the roles of officials and employees and streamlining how county government operates. This could be just what the county needs to keep on track, financially and otherwise. Hopefully, it won’t get voted down this time around.

Thumbs up to Ralph Meserve, who turns 100 years old next month, for his dedication to the Saco community throughout his life. Meserve has lived through the history of this area for the last century. With his sharp mind, he’s still a great resource of information for all who care to listen and those who know him are glad to raise a toast to his continued health.

— Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you would like to respond, please write the Reader’s Forum via e-mail at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.