I am alarmed that the EPA has not investigated the effects of rototilling horse manure on the person doing the tilling. From what I read in a letter to the editor in last week’s edition I think that we may have another health crisis that will dwarf the asbestos problem. I think that the result of the inhaling the manure dust may cause a confusion of facts in one’s mind.
I do not consider a budget that is very close to the latest CPI to be out of line. All towns, including Raymond, use part of its carry forward to reduce the amount that needs to be raised. Both Raymond’s school and municipal budgets are reasonable and close to the current consumer price index rate of 3.87 percent for the northeast region. These budgets, which were produced after months of discussion between the School Board, Board of Selectmen, Budget/Finance Committee and interested citizens, reflect a balance of financial discipline while meeting the obligations and real needs of the school and town.
The increase in this year’s town is well within the limits set by LD 1. If there is any blame to be placed for lack of tax reduction, it is in Augusta.
The letter writer criticized the level of surplus used to reduce this year’s property tax increase but failed to mention that it is identical to last year and less than half of what he supported two years ago.
The town has a parking paint-striping machine. It is used for lining parking lots and roadwork. The schools have an athletic field line machine. Not even close.
The “One Raymond” Concept is alive and well. The School and Town now share a financial server which saved $25,000 and partner together on many public works type projects saving the school money whenever possible. Last year, the school and the town collaborated on a fuel oil purchase realizing a savings of $45,000. Hardly “anything of substance has been accomplished” as the writer, contends.
The Route 302 beautification project was funded out of TIF funds. Businesses on 302 in the area of improvements were asked to help where they could and many have. The town has been fortunate however to have received over 500 hours of volunteer labor last summer in support of maintaining the corridor landscaping by the Beautification Committee, which saved the town a significant amount of labor cost. The bulk of the labor again this year will be volunteers with the town purchasing materials such as mulch.
It is my understanding that the project was never considered to be revenue neutral.
The select board has always known that would require a yearly expenditure of funds to keep it up and in good shape. The funds for the upkeep are and will come from the TIF. Once a base level of mulch has been achieved it will take very little to keep it up. I would suggest augmenting the mulch with manure but we are all beginning to realize what a health hazard that might be!
Now, you can’t have it both ways when it comes to keeping the public informed. On one hand the letter writer complains that TV did not cover school meetings. None of the school meetings are covered as the equipment is at town hall and is used there to cover Selectman meetings for the most part. I know for a fact that the School Committee would love to have all of their meetings televised to better inform the public about their deliberations. This will not happen until we fund the Digital Broadcast Studio. The author of last week’s letter is against funding the studio. By the way, he is also against producing the Roadrunner also. So much for keeping the citizens informed.
Presently one way of letting people know about upcoming meetings is the readerboard outside town hall. The replacement of the present sign is in fact an Eagle Scout project, which in my view helps to build a sense of community as well as support the “Yankee way” of doing things for very little taxpayer cost. The town is contributing $5,000 to leverage $15,000 in private contributions. A good investment? You decide. This is another excellent way to keep people informed. Sounds as if the writer wants to cut off our citizens from all information.
Town office windows were repaired in 2004. They are not “hemorrhaging precious fuel dollars” but in fact are in better and much tighter condition now than when the letter writer was a selectman and the project first discussed. I bet town office fuel use has been either consistent or declining over the past few years. A bigger factor that dramatically improved fuel efficiency was the replacement of the furnace a couple of years ago.
The writer has referenced the 14 percent increase in compensation for the part-time superintendent at numerous public meetings. At each meeting, the misinformation that he gives is corrected, and accurate data is given. How many times must that happen before he responsibly reports the correct data? Let’s try it ONE MORE TIME! The superintendent was hired three years ago as a .6 superintendent, which equals 156 days. The superintendent was only being paid for 140 days for her first two years and working 156 days, plus an annual average of another six to seven weeks, or 30-35 days gratis! That was corrected in this year’s budget. The superintendent was paid for 156 days. The ACTUAL salary increase that she received this year was 3 percent, not 14 percent! The percent expended for System Administration in 2003/04 in Raymond was 3.84 percent with the statewide average being 3.95 percent.
The writer misrepresents the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) model. Each year the taxpayers of Raymond vote on a warrant article to raise additional local funds. The percentage requested to be raised this year in additional local funds is 19.6 percent of the entire budget as compared with 22.7 percent in 2004/05 and 21.5 percent in 2003/04. The only difference this year with the EPS model is that the state is providing recommended funding levels. Any areas in those additional local funds that are above the recommended EPS levels must be explained and voted on. The amount of $957,771, which exceeds the State’s EPS funding model, is explained by the anticipated costs in tuition for grades 9-12, which represent the greatest percentage, technology, transportation and Special Education costs.
The letter writer would have you think that the school dept. pays an extra $120,000 dollars for our students that have chosen to attend private schools. The town pays the same amount per student to all schools, public or private. Raymond has a long tradition of sending its students to private schools. At various times in the past, most Raymond students attended North Yarmouth Academy and Fryeburg Academy. Raymond is following state law, which mandates that communities without a high school allow its students to attend any school, private or public that are not church affiliated. Private schools are paid the same tuition rate as public schools.
As Paul Harvey says, “now you know the rest of the story.” I hope all Raymond voters will take a few minutes to vote in town elections on May 20 and let their voice be heard at town meeting the next day. Profiles of all the candidates can be found in the May Roadrunner. A downloadable copy can be found on the Raymond Web site. Go to www.raymondmaine.org. If for no other reason look at this issue carefully to see if you agree that the information that it contains is important to know.
Frank McDermott
Raymond
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