Today I had the honor of participating in Dover-Foxcroft’s Memorial Day Parade. It is a celebration of our community and the connections between all of us who live here in our wonderful small town.

Since my wife and I are getting on in years, we decided it would be prudent for us to find a primary care provider a littler closer to home than our previous in Bangor. We made an appointment with a doctor’s office (I will not say who it is, or where it is for discretionary reasons).

For a town attempting to rebuild itself, to energize its growth potential and expand business opportunities, Dover-Foxcroft’s Charter Revision Commission appears to have done everything possible to reverse that process.

I would like to clear up a couple of misconceptions about the fairgrounds. Following that, I would like to express my concerns for the lawns and road system of said grounds.

Dover-Foxcroft's Charter Revision Commission would like all town voters to believe their proposed changes to the charter are offered as a way of "streamlining" the voting process for the annual town budget.

Good things are coming for the town of Sangerville, Maine. A huge percentage of the Sangerville residents are excited and now have a positive outlook and sense of trust concerning our town and the totally new select board members.

By attempting to take away the ability to vote by secret ballot all the budget related Articles on the ballot at the Dover-Foxcroft Municipal election in June, the Charter Revision Commission has regressed to a bygone era!

Some years aqo Dover-Foxcroft residents voted for the annual town budget by a show of hands in open town meeting. In 2004 a couple of hundred strident and angry voices approved all the Warrant Articles and the town deepened the divide between two factions -- those for whom there never was enough spending and those desiring to retain their meager resources.

I see so much litter along the roadsides. The most noticeable are drink cups (coffee, soda ...). Perhaps cars and trucks need to have better, built-in trash receptacles.

I am very concerned and perplexed about Governor LePage trying to dismantle the Katahdin Woods and Waters Monument especially since it is already bringing increased travel to the economically battered region. This has brought more activity to retailers and campgrounds and has even increased property value.

Earlier this week, I found out that my email had been hacked. I was locked out of my email and unable to access my list of contacts. It was frustrating and it was scary.

Is there really any logical reason for the Charter Revision Commission to eliminate the ability of Dover-Foxcroft residents to vote all budgetary Articles by Secret ballot in the privacy of the voting booth at June's municipal election?

Will your organization support the Moosehead Region Futures Corporation to prevent the building of two large windmill farms consisting of over 100 windmills? They will be built on Misery Ridge and on Burnt Nubble and Black Nubble.

The editorial piece written by Governor LePage that was published in the April 19th edition of the Observer is decidedly misleading. The Governor has a history of granting tax breaks to big business and the wealthy at the expense of education, the elderly, working families, the poor and the environment.

America’s rural hospitals are at risk. In fact, 80 rural hospitals in 25 states have closed since 2010. In Maine, 19 of the state’s 36 hospitals ended fiscal year 2016 with negative operating margins. On average half of Maine hospitals have reported negative operating margins annually since 2012.

There is a thief in Dover-Foxcroft. It currently exists in the proposed revision of the town charter and it's ready to steal away your right to vote all the budgetary warrant articles presented on the ballot at the June municipal election. That's right! If you approve the revised town charter appearing as a referendum on this June's ballot you will effectively lose the ability to vote by secret ballot on any budget-related item except a "bottom line" budget total.

Taxed enough already? Well, yes and no. In our last letters we discussed taxes levied by the State of Maine. About 50 percent of their revenue comes from regressive sales taxes and another 40 percent comes from (very) mildly progressive income taxes (the rest from licenses and other taxes).

Aren't town charters developed to be a kind of rule book to which town administrations and town residents can agree to adhere? Shouldn't one be able to assume revisions of that charter would be undertaken in the interest of these residents and in an effort to achieve maximum transparency by the town's government? Well, the currently proposed (revised) Dover-Foxcroft Municipal Charter appears to do just the opposite.