Local Letters to the Editor

Greenville
‘firing squad’
unnecessary

To the Editor:
    Recently, in Greenville, at the end of the longest parade of the summer on the muggiest hottest day of the year, Sen. Doug Thomas and I were treated to what I call one of the most pre-planned circular firing squads I have ever witnessed. As planned Doug and I were in the circle. Again, the hottest muggiest day of the year, my wife waiting for me in the car, my family at camp waiting for me. I knew nothing of this until just a very few minutes before the meeting.

    You ask, what was it all about? You see, the Constitution of Maine requires electoral districts to be redrawn at least once every 10 years. A committee is formed and called the reapportionment committee. There are five Republicans, five Democrats, and one Independent voter on the committee. They must agree. They also have staff. The county commissioners also have staff. Legislators share one staff person with usually 8-12 other legislators. It seems that in spite of the fact the county commissioners’ office has well-paid staff and that the reapportionment committee has well-paid staff it was up to the legislators to advise and keep informed the county commissioners of the new district plan. No one told us, hence the firing squad.
    Those on the firing squad were given script to repeat, questions to attack with, and deaf ears to any reasonable response. It was crystal clear this group had been briefed and briefed again to the point they were so excited that only our blood would satisfy. A county commissioner showed up and stated at least one other legislator had seen the plans besides us. This was not reported in the news. The offense seemed that one of the commissioners would have to travel through another commissioner’s district and become familiar with the issues in that part of the county as well as the problems within their own districts. Well, for years legislators have driven through other districts to get to other parts of their districts. It has helped to learn about other parts of our state. The kind of interaction will help our county.
    We represent people, not trees. The courts have held to the premise of one man/one vote representation. As such, districts are made according to population not geography. That being so just consider this, the commissioner from the Milo/Greenville district will have to become familiar with the problems the Moosehead area has. Likewise it will benefit the Milo/Brownville area to have a commissioner from Greenville become familiar with the problems of Milo/Brownville. The commissioner from Guilford will learn about the issues at KI or Kokadjo. The commissioner from the Dover-Foxcroft district will be leaving the Shiretown once in a while to see the rest of the county. All three will have parts of the unorganized townships in them.
    If the folks in the Greenville area want to have a meeting with me I will be happy to be at said meeting. However, I will not be the target of a circular firing squad.

Rep. Paul Davis
Sangerville

Communications
breakdown

To the Editor:
    I would like to address a problem we have in our community (as most communities do across this nation), which people like myself have experienced. As a person ages, one of the situations that must be dealt with involves the loss of hearing ability. Sometimes modern equipment can be a help, sometimes it does not help.
    At the same time, in our societies today, those of the younger generations (aged 70 or less??) are speaking much too rapidly, apparently as a result of our “hurry-hurry-hurry” style of life today.
    Unfortunately, when the hearing-impaired person tries to converse with the rapid-speech-problem person, the conversation becomes a very unpleasant and unhappy experience for both individuals. Although the rapid-speaking person may be unaware of his own problem, when someone has to ask again and again for him to repeat what was said, that should alert him or her. Those who are in a business which deals with the general public need to realize that they should slow down their speech and enunciate!
    Often, all it takes to lessen the strife is the knowledge that each of these problems can be helped with a little bit of understanding and a lot of patience.
    I trust that other people with hearing problems know of which I speak. Someday in the far-distant futures for our “younger citizens” they, too, may begin to realize what those of us in the “older generations” (oh, what a horrible classification, even though true!) know today.

Ellen F. Dow
Dover-Foxcroft

Homecoming
volunteers welcome

To the Editor:
    The Dover-Foxcroft Homecoming Committee is pleased to announce that the Homecoming Parade and Street Festival is on schedule for Saturday, Aug. 3, starting at 9 a.m. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and the Street Festival will continue until 2:30 p.m.
    However, as in years past, we need a few more volunteers to pitch in during the parade to help direct traffic. Please consider helping us out on Saturday, Aug. 3, so we can continue this yearly tradition. We need about 20 volunteers in all for about three hours. If interested, call Kevin Chasse at 343-2147 or Sheila Bragg at 564-3318, ext. 1021. Much thanks.
    And don’t forget all the other activates to enjoy during Homecoming Weekend including: Foxcroft Academy Tent Party featuring the Mallett Brothers, Foxcroft Golf Scramble, Foxcroft Tennis Tournament, Thompson Library book sale, all sorts of kids’ games, music, street vendors, the 5K Road Race, and five live performances of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid, Jr.,” directed by Foxcroft Academy sophomore Mitchell Chasse.
    Come and enjoy the festivities!

Dover-Foxcroft
Homecoming Committee