The first referendum vote for the FY18 budget in SAD #4/RSU 80 has failed. A new interim superintendent and bookkeeper are about to take over on a part-time basis. The school committee must step up and pull itself together. The board’s leadership is critical going forward to make progress on both passing a workable budget and facing the need to improve instruction in the classrooms in the district, which happens to enjoy very favorable class sizes.

Since 2012, on average, 18 of Maine’s 25 community hospitals have operated with negative operating margins. Now, it seems that nearly every day there is news about a hospital or health system closing or reducing services to control costs.

It seems as if we forge some pretty amazing bonds with the libraries in many of the towns we move to. Certainly, it is the case with the Thompson Free Library here in Dover-Foxcroft. Let me explain.

It’s no secret to people who know me -- I oppose Donald Trump on just about everything. But the erosion of basic human decency since the election is at a level I’ve never seen before.

On Election Day Tuesday, June 13th voters will be going to the polls. Unlike many other elections, we are not seeing constant media coverage as there is only one State bond question being voted on. There is a lot being decided here at the local level and it’s important that Dover-Foxcroft voters weigh in on these issues.

Once again the budget season for school districts is upon us and once again my concern in writing this letter is the way in which the school committee chooses to handle the SAD #4 budget development

It saddens me to see people use this space to put out misleading and false information to the taxpayers and voters of Dover-Foxcroft. Therefore, I feel the need to correct information which Chris Maas stated last week in the publication of this newspaper.

It is with great pride that I write to you about the RSU 68 school budget. Throughout the budget process, the RSU 68 School Board worked with a guiding principle that says they are committed to making transparent, student-centered budget decisions. The budget that was presented and accepted at the May 30, 2017 district budget meeting reflects the belief in that principle.

When I was elected to the school board in Guilford I made an appointment with my doctor and he doubled my meds. If you are prone to nausea, you might want to take some precautions yourself before you read the budget presented to SAD 4 by the board.

There’s a new day coming and it’s June 13 -- Municipal Election Day in Dover-Foxcroft. It can be a day of victory, a day for rejoicing because it will be the day we can vote our Freedom.

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.