Vote for Myrick

I am writing to endorse Kenneth “Jake “ Myrick for House District seat 123.

As a young boy I often tagged along side House Speaker “Tip” O’Neil and through the years proudly served several presidents, vice presidents, and members of Congress. I have been truly honored to have worked with some outstanding leaders. I first met Mr. Myrick while helping host Sen. McCain’s campaign visit to our

great city of South Portland. I closely watched Mr. Myrick and soon realized he has the passion, experience and drive of a true leader. Being born and raised in Maine, a decorated veteran, a homeless advocate, and proven civic leader, he is currently athletic director for the Boys and Girls Club, and is a true champion and mentor to our children. Myrick is the hard-working, sensible leader and diplomatic voice we need in Augusta. What ever your party affiliation, voting Myrick is the best choice.

Stephen Popp

South Portland

Myrick for House

I would like to publicly support Kenneth “Jake” Myrick for House District seat 123.

Many of your readers may know me simply as “Slim” from the South Portland Boys and Girls Club.

I have recently retired after 40-plus years at the club, ending my happy career as a their longtime director. Over the years I have had the joy of working with thousand of our local youth, many now parents themselves.

Jake Myrick was one of those kids. Myrick came from a difficult home life. From the beginning I could tell this boy was different. I watched him grow and mature to the passionate leader he is today. I was proud when he joined the Army and nervous when he fought for our country overseas. I beamed with joy to hold his babies. I have watched him become a true civic leader, feeding our needy veterans during the holidays, advocating for the homeless, serving on many local committees and now as I have, mentoring kids at the Portland Boys and Girls Club as their athletic director.

I have been a lifelong Democrat. We are being given a rare opportunity to have an outstanding honest man lead and serve our community.

Please remember there are times it doesn’t matter what political party any of us belong to, we must cast the best vote.

In this case and in this race the best vote is a vote for Myrick.

John “Slim” Lee

South Portland

Gary Libby for water district

My friend Gary Libby is hoping people will vote to keep him on the job next month as a trustee of the Portland Water District. I hope so, too. I’ve learned a lot from Gary about the water I always took for granted.

The Sebago Lake watershed contains about 300,000 acres, of which 81.4 percent is undeveloped and mostly forested. Gary told me that when a watershed becomes 20 to 25 percent developed, the potential for water quality degradation reaches a tipping point. Sebago Lake is approaching that tipping point.

Still, the water district has been successful in maintaining the lake’s purity. Nearly all water utilities with surface water sources are required by the Environmental Protection Agency to filter their raw water but the EPA granted the Portland Water District a waiver because of Sebago Lake’s extremely high water quality.

To keep that waiver and to avoid spending $50 million to build a filtration plant, the PWD maintains a nationally award-winning watershed protection program.

Gary has pushed watershed protection away from buying land surrounding Sebago Lake to working with environmentally conscious land owners to protect watershed land using conservation easements.

He told me this allows the water district to protect more undeveloped land at a lower cost. The board of trustees began last March with the Crooked River Landowner Outreach Project.

I’m glad my friend Gary Libby has been on the job. I hope we keep him there when we vote on Nov. 6.

John Lovell

Portland

Sirocki for ?District 128

I am writing to support Heather Sirocki for Maine Legislature, District 128.

Heather has been a diligent and hard-working member of the legislature during this past term. She has been an active voice for the people of Scarborough and an excellent communicator about issues in Augusta.

One good example is how she has been able to use her professional experience as a registered dental hygienist to inform her work on the Health and Human Services Committee – a legislative committee with an incredibly heavy workload. Heather sponsored the legislation to create an Independent Practice Dental Hygienist program in the state, which will greatly help to address the shortage of dental care Maine now faces.

Heather is truly a citizen legislator, and one who is willing to listen and to understand the needs of her constituents. Please join me in supporting her re-election as the state representative for District 128 in Scarborough.

Sylvia J. Most

Scarborough