Reality check in Kennebunk

To the editor,

Residents of Kennebunk, we should be very concerned.

I attended Kennebunk’s June 21 special select board meeting at which Police Chief Mackenzie and Fire Chief Rowe discussed the daunting challenges they’re facing to recruit and retain police officers and firefighter/EMS personnel.

The number of vacancies is alarming – on many fronts. My focus is on overall town governance and the critical need for communication between town departments and boards.

The planning board is approving substantial subdivisions right and left. In West Kennebunk alone, a mere sampling: 25 houses are being constructed on Warren’s Way. Off Alewive Road, ultimately 100 houses. And there’s seven more houses going in at 241 Alewive Road. And 10 on Drala Drive. In town, 23 houses off Brown Street. You get the picture.

Countless houses and residents are being added to our population of 11,500. Is the planning board coordinating in any manner with the police, fire and EMS departments? How can these new houses and residents have adequate safety coverage when our emergency services departments are admittedly struggling to cover current needs? How can only a few overburdened officers respond to a call in West K when there’s a major incident at Mother’s Beach? When will taxpayers be asked to fund the expansion of fire stations? To serve more houses, won’t we need more trucks, ambulances and cruisers (if we ever get more staff)?

Someone else can write about the current challenges facing our public works department to keep up with paving, plowing, pothole repair, sinking manholes, unsightly medians, litter, waste disposal, etc. Presently stretched to the limit, staff might likely be unable to handle more duties caused by innumerable new subdivisions.

For the health and safety of all, shouldn’t Kennebunk put the brakes on new development? Can we expect town hall denizens to communicate honestly about this serious issue? As a new select board is seated and we anticipate a new town manager, Kennebunk officials and relevant boards must address this: We have insufficient emergency services personnel and proliferating subdivisions. We need to face some reality.

Susan A. Bloomfield

West Kennebunk