Thumbs up to Biddeford City Councilors Rick Laverriere and George “Pete” Lamontagne, as well as the Public Works staff, for hosting a very well-organized hazardous materials collection day on Saturday, May 1.

The smooth operation could not have come off without planning and the cooperation of staff, and it was also nice to see our councilors there, sharing a smile with residents as they passed out tags for the vehicles.

Thumbs up to Lloyd Crocker, principal of Loranger Middle School, for his appointment as president elect of the Maine Principals’ Association for the 2010-11 year. Crocker has clearly made an impression during his years in teaching and administration and will now be a voice for the entire profession in Augusta. We’re proud to have him leading one of our schools in southern Maine.

Thumbs down to whatever misstep has led to the financial investigation of the La Kermesse organization. Clearly, the group’s financial troubles extend beyond debt from last year’s rainy June and damage to St. Louis Field ”“ and may include malfeasance. Whoever is responsible may have put a Biddeford tradition at risk of being forced out of existence and has damaged the festival’s reputation ”“ and with that, the reputation of Franco-Americans. It’s our belief that a full public accounting would be an excellent step toward getting the festival back on track.

Thumbs up ”“ with caution ”“ to Wells selectmen’s decision to install security cameras at Wells Harbor. Ten cameras will be installed at Wells Harbor around the parking lot, dock and jetty and motion sensors will alert police to any action after hours. The cameras will undoubtedly help to deter and detect crimes such as theft and vandalism, which have been a problem at the dock, according to the police chief. The camera system also allows the city to install other cameras, however, and residents must be vigilant in oversight to assure that their privacy is not invaded.

Thumbs up to all the students, staff and opera singers who participated in the local production of “Carmen” this past weekend in Biddeford. The opera performance is a result of Melissa Manseau’s artist-in-residency program with Biddeford Middle School and her collaboration with gifted and talented teacher Gail Roller. The two put together a great performance that included a multitude of students and teachers in many roles, using the opera to bring the community together.

Thumbs up to the Town of Sanford for seeking requests for qualifications to gauge interest in hydropower development on three town-owned dams. The town recently learned that a Woolwich-based company is interested in investigating a hydro project in town and selectmen are wise to see if any other entities would like to investigate the feasibility of such a project as well, so that the best can be chosen.

Thumbs down to the City of Biddeford for issuing a proclamation in support of the National Day of Prayer, observed last Thursday. Though Mayor Joanne Twomey somewhat redeemed herself by declining to participate in the event, the city should not have endorsed the gathering to begin with. Church and state must remain separate, to ensure religious freedom for all, and governments have no place passing judgment on a religious event.

— 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.