Thumbs down to the Town of Kennebunk’s decision to put off incorporation of the Kennebunk Development Corporation until September of this year. The KDC, formed in 2006, has been having private meetings concerning economic development in the town. While Town Manager Barry Tibbetts has defended the group, saying that it did not handle any funds before its incorporation, we feel that a town-sanctioned entity such as this should have been operating publicly anyway.

The residents of Kennebunk have a right to know the plans of a town group that is seeking to boost economic development, whether or not they were handling money. Tibbetts said the incorporation was put off until insurance could be bought for the KDC members and the by-laws could be completed, but that process does not take four years.

Thumbs up to the plan now before the Biddeford School Board to lower the number of credits needed for graduation. The high school is currently requiring 26 credits instead of the local average of 21-24. Those students who can achieve the 26 credits can easily achieve the 24, perhaps with more time for extracurricular activities or jobs, but the same is not always true the other way around. For those who find the bar set just a bit too high at 26, cutting even two credits could help them make that extremely important hurdle of graduating from high school. This decision won’t lower standards, it will simply bring Biddeford High School in line with other area schools and hopefully lead to a lower dropout rate.

Thumbs up to the Old Orchard Beach American Legion post for its generous donation of $5,000 toward a memorial plaque in honor of women veterans. The plaque will be the first memorial to female veterans to be displayed at the State House and it was the OOB Legion’s donation that brought the funds high enough to make it a reality this year. The legion should be commended for showing others how important it is to recognize these women, who have played unique roles in the U.S. armed services.

Thumbs up to Crutches 4 Africa founder David Talbot and his local collaborator, Saco Bay Rotary Club Past President Dennis Robillard, for their efforts to collect mobility aids ”“ such as crutches and canes ”“ for distribution in third world countries. These items are easy to get in the U.S. and often discarded when we heal from whatever injury necessitated them. For those with chronic disabilities, such as disfigurement from polio, however, a simple pair of crutches can allow them to live a more normal life. Without dedicated volunteers like Talbot, Robillard and others, those items might have sat useless in someone’s garage or attic instead.

Thumbs up to Wells Assistant Tax Collector Charlene Suprenant and other town hall employees and business owners who helped her with the community yard sale Oct. 9 to raise money for the fuel fund. The event really brought the community together for a noble cause, raising more than $1,900 to help Wells residents with heating emergencies this winter. Organizing such a large yard sale is no easy feat and Suprenant should be commended for taking on such a task to make sure her neighbors will have help when they need it.

— 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.