I would like to respond to a letter written by Arthur and Charlotte Mary of Freeport that appeared in your Jan. 8 issue. I would like to say that the letter was very well written and that I agree wholeheartedly, and I would also like to add a few things.

I grew up in Freeport in the 1970s and ’80s and my childhood consisted of playing on Leighton’s baseball team, working at Deering Ice Cream on Main Street, working at McDonald’s when they first opened, attending Joan Benoit’s Olympic celebration in the park, and taking out my first car loan at Key Bank on Main Street. I have fond memories of Freeport, and now spend practically every other weekend there spending my hard-earned money in outlet stores because I have five kids who like to wear Abercrombie, American Eagle, PacSun and Polo. I have enjoyed watching Freeport grow and change over the years and have supported new business because I believe it keeps the town alive.

I now live in Durham and have children attending the Durham school and Freeport High School. I have supported the RSU from its infancy, and have voted in favor of the renovations, as well as the athletic field upgrades. What saddens me is that the Moving Freeport Forward group has branded the residents of Durham and Pownal as being anti-progress and being the sole cause of the situation we are now in, which is not true. In fact, if you look at the last vote we had, the number of votes in Durham and Pownal that changed from no to yes on the renovation and field upgrades were greater than the votes that changed from no to yes in Freeport. Also, the number of Freeport residents who actually came out to vote was quite small compared to the population of voters in Freeport. Maybe Moving Freeport Forward should have concentrated on educating their residents on the issues at hand and spent more energy getting Freeport residents to the polls instead of pointing the finger at Durham and Pownal and blaming them for their woes.

I learned a saying as a child, I don’t know where it came from but it goes something like this: “You shouldn’t point the finger at someone because there are three pointing back at you.” I know it’s kind of corny but my point is to take a look at yourself before you accuse someone else or cast blame.

My fear now is that Moving Freeport Forward is actually going to slow things down for Freeport High School and the renovation project that has already been approved. I would like my children to be able to experience and appreciate the renovations before they graduate. I wonder if Moving Freeport Forward has a mission statement, and if they do I would like to read it because what they are doing is the exact opposite of what their name describes, and I believe they are in the minority in Freeport simply because of the lack of voter turnout.

I love Freeport and will continue to support the RSU and hope that it will remain and that renovations will begin soon, because it’s the kids who are the ones that are suffering through all this.

Brad Owen

Durham