Thumbs up to Goodall Hospital for seeking to join the MaineHealth system. Although there’s no word yet, membership in the system would help Goodall collaborate more closely with Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford as well as open up better financing opportunities for the Sanford hospital.

If Goodall gets the green light, it would be able to get lower borrowing rates, which could lead to major savings in upcoming renovations and equipment purchases that are expected to exceed $20 million. If the hospital were to borrow on its own, interest rates are projected to exceed 7 percent, while a 4.5 percent interest rate is available through MaineHealth. While the merger would certainly mean changes, and could possibly lead to some layoffs, the overall benefits should help keep both hospitals healthy financially in the long run.

Thumbs up to Melinda Arcidy and her family for donating an 18-acre parcel of marshland in Saco near the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge to York County. The parcel, located on Seaside Avenue and adjacent to Goosefare Brook, is home to saltmarsh sharp-billed sparrows and waterfowl, according to Rachel Carson National Wildlife Manager Ward Feurt. In addition to the wildlife, the spot is busy with walkers and bicyclists. The county will consider installing a scenic overlook at the site and is working with officials in Saco to manage the site. County Manager Greg Zinser said he hopes the donation will lead to more partnerships for the county.

Thumbs down to county commissioners, the county manager and the county budget committee for their continued divisiveness and lack of communication. Recently, county commissioners called the for budget committee caucus ”“ set for Sept. 19 ”“ in an effort to be more “proactive.” Although commissioners are not able to serve on the budget committee nor participate in the caucus, County Manager Greg Zinser said the decision does not interfere with the authority of the budget committee. John Sylvester, longtime chairman of the budget committee, disagrees, and he wrote a letter to Zinser charging him and the commissioners with trying to weaken the budget committee’s authority. Sylvester also called a caucus himself, setting it for Sept. 5, and stating that it is a municipal function. This is another incident in a long history of trouble between the groups. As budget committee Vice Chairman Joseph Hanslip pointed out, the two groups need to work together, and a better relationship should be the goal. We hope the commissioners and budget committee members will set a meeting to speak about their differences and settle these issues once and for all.

Thumbs up to all those who participated in a meeting about the potential effects of rising sea levels along the coast of Biddeford. Representatives from the Department of Conservation’s Maine Geological Survey and Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission spoke to area residents about sea level rise and emphasized the importance for coastal planning for the future. The organizations presented data about the rising sea level, and we’re pleased to hear residents like Ward 1 City Councilor Michael Swanton took the information to heart. Swanton said after hearing the presentation, he will make sure sea level rise is taken into account when planning reconstruction of Mile Stretch Road, along Biddeford’s coast.

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.