Turning Radius Not the Problem

The turning radius on Pleasant and Mill Streets for cars entering from Stanwood in Brunswick is not the problem. The problem is that cars that have to turn onto River Road need to cross the two lanes of traffic to get into the right hand lane to turn at the light. Drivers frustrated by the back-up on Mill Street refuse to let cars “cut” in front of them. That is the problem. DOT needs to find another solution for the back-up because us River Road drivers will still need to cut across two lanes of traffic!

Joann Turner,

Brunswick

We Can’t Afford a ‘Free’ Park

Concerned taxpayers in town are putting their confidence in town council to uphold the Town Charter and their responsibility to vote in the best interests of all in Town. This was done in the vote to sell 946 Mere Point Rd and return it to the tax rolls. Now, the same small group, who has already had a full public hearing on the matter, is recruiting previously uninterested people to sign a petition to reverse the decision. This doesn’t pass the smell test. The assessment and deliberations on the property were as well publicized and open for public input as any ever before. Where were these petition signers then? They were not on the site walks, nor at the numerous public meetings. Using ‘government by Facebook’ tactics, they’ve been recruited with the promise of a “free” park. Free? Anyone would sign up for something that’s “free.”

The reality is that the costs of developing 946 Mere Point Road for public use add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and include foregoing at least $300,000 in sale proceeds and $10,000 in annual taxes; legal and intertidal surveying fees; ADA, Federal, State and Local environmental and permitting costs; private property protection enforcement and structures; highly restrictive site work; annual maintenance and policing, etc.

Town Council has pointed out 2 significant reasons for their votes: we have 15 water access points, many underused and needing improvements; and we have millions in critical school and infrastructure expenditures in our immediate future. This on top of our increased tax bills due to the revaluation. A “free” park? We can’t afford it.

The facts have not changed regarding 946 Mere Point Road. Councilors, please uphold your vote to sell the property and move on to the truly pressing issues that we face. Taxpayers, tell Council to uphold their vote for fiscal responsibility at brunswickme.org for all Councilors’ phone numbers, email and street addresses.

Glenn and Angela Anderson,

Blake and Joanne Appleton, Ben and Maruta Ray, Joan Sutcliffe and John McGoldrick, Karl and

Arabella Strovink, Dave and

Heather Osterfeld,

Brunswick

Thank You from MCFPC

The Maine Coalition to Fight Prostate Cancer would like to recognize and thank the Senter Foundation and Mid Coast Hospital for their financial support and assistance in helping us sponsor a free prostate cancer screening event that was held at Mid Coast Hospital, Saturday, October 22. All of the open positions for the free screenings conducted by Dr. Craig, Mid Coast Medical Group – Urology, were taken.

Virtually every man in Maine would be embarrassed to lose an engine because of not checking or changing the oil, forgetting to refill the radiator, or not keeping the battery charged. We guys need to do a lot better job maintaining our health. Don’t wait for the red oil light to come on. The gentlemen that showed up for the free prostate cancer screening were doing themselves and their loved ones a great service by getting information about a disease the kills over 30,000 men every year. We congratulate the men who came to be tested. And thanks to the Senter Foundation grant we plan to host another free prostate cancer screening in 2017 so as to provide addition men the opportunity to participate. The Maine Coalition to Fight Prostate Cancer www.MCFPC.org is a state wide, all volunteer organization dedicated to helping men and their loved ones address and manage prostate cancer. We invite you to contact us with your questions and issues; (855) 552-7200 extension 800, or send an email TKungel@MCFPC.org

Terry Kungel

Chairman, Maine Coalition to

Fight Prostate Cancer

Supporting Carson

As a physician and former Director of the Maine Bureau of Health, I write to endorse Brownie Carson for the Maine State Senate from District 24. Brownie fought hard to protect the health of our citizens from the risk of environmental contaminants during his 27 years as Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

Case in point: back in 2004, coal-fired power plants from the Midwest, in violation of federal law, were dumping mercury on Maine and contaminating our fish to the extent that we had to issue advisories warning people to limit their freshwater fish consumption. The EPA, then under President George W. Bush, rather than fix the problem, tried to change the law to allow the practice to continue for decades. When Mike Leavitt, the EPA Administrator at the time, visited Maine that fall, Brownie enlisted my help in challenging him about that approach. In that meeting, I witnessed firsthand Brownie’s passion, skill and commitment to protecting our people and environment as we pleaded our case to no avail. But, under Brownie’s leadership, NRCM successfully fought the Bush Administration’s unlawful approach in court, setting the stage for President Obama’s EPA to issue an appropriate regulation under the Clean Air Act that has already cut coal plant mercury pollution by 90 percent. The best news is that mercury levels in Maine’s freshwater fish are finally beginning to fall.

Brownie Carson will make the case for protecting public health and the environment to anyone in a position to make a difference, no matter how powerful. We need leadership like his in Augusta.

Lani Graham,

Portland