Thumbs up to the seven Lyman residents who have thrown in their hats to join a charter commission for the town. Lyman currently has no charter, instead following only state law, and the recall of Selectman Norman Hutchins in November spurred many to realize that a “constitution” for the town may be a good idea.

All of those who are seeking to help craft the charter could have a chance to serve on the group ”“ six of them can be elected Feb. 7, and the one person who isn’t could be one of the three appointed by the selectmen to the nine-member board. Hopefully, Lyman voters will understand the importance of such a guiding document for the town and give their approval for a commission to pursue its creation.

Thumbs up and a happy retirement to our own Lee Hall, who has delivered the Journal Tribune for 28 years alongside his job as a police officer, and will be enjoying retired life now that it’s 2012. Hall has built relationships with longtime subscribers and seen a lot of change during his time delivering the Journal. We’re thankful for all his years of service and wish him the best going forward.

Thumbs up to the long-awaited conveyance of the Timber Point conservation land parcel to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in late December. Timber Point is unique for its well-preserved natural qualities amidst the highly developed coastline, and is an important wildlife habitat. It’s heartwarming to see this tract preserved, thanks to efforts of so many: The Ewing family, the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Trust for Public Land, the Friends of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and more than 700 individuals who contributed to the campaign to purchase this land. We look forward to when it is officially opened and readied for the public to enjoy.

Thumbs up to the Town of Sanford for the completion of renovations to the new town clerk, tax collector and treasurer’s offices. With the police department now in its own home, the street-level offices became available last year and have been renovated to accommodate these three town offices. Having the most often used offices at ground level, near the parking lot, is more convenient for residents and the space is more conducive to the services they provide. This investment in town hall, along with new roofing, windows, a sprinkler system extension and a new alarm system, cost about $300,000, and we’re glad to see Sanford residents’ decision to bond for these upgrades has been a good expenditure.

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Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages, which is being printed today due to the holiday. To respond, write to the Readers’ Forum via e-mail at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by drop your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.