Thumbs up to Lyman selectmen for getting one thing right this week. The board voted to lower the property tax rate from $11.65 per $1,000 of property to $11.50. This move will give a little relief to property owners, while keeping the town’s fund balance at a healthy rate. Assessor Regina Merry presented selectmen with the option of cutting the rate to between $11.30 to $11.50. Selectmen made a conservative cut to allow a home valued at about $200,000 to see a $30 savings.
Thumbs down to the Lyman Board of Selectmen, though, for rejecting a petition submitted by residents that would rescind the town’s $18,000 legal budget. Many residents have been clear that they don’t want town funds spent on a lawsuit against Selectman Steve Marble. Selectmen Norman Hutchins and Leo Ruel say Marble serving as both operator of the transfer station and a selectman are incompatible offices. Not heeding the request of residents is one thing, but not allowing voters to have their say is against the core tenets for which democracy stands. If they listened to their constituents in the first place, no one would be trying to rescind the legal budget.
Thumbs up to downtown businessman and Saco resident Mark Johnston for donating $5,000 toward the refurbishment of Eastman Park, a small area paying tribute to veterans at the intersection of Main and Elm streets. Johnston received funds from an out-of-court settlement with waste-to-energy incinerator Maine Energy to use for charitable contributions, and the money is being put to good use. Work on the park is currently taking place, and it is expected to be completed by the fall. New plantings are part of the plans as well as relocating a flagpole, which was obstructing the view of the park’s Civil War monument. A new Christmas tree will be planted and lights will be installed to shine on the flag and monument.
Thumbs up to the members of the Williams Court neighborhood for their efforts to revitalize the area. Three old tenement houses were removed last year to make way for a park with a special, custom-made lantern, as its centerpiece. The lantern, featuring 11 hands of residents that were cast in bronze, was unveiled publicly last weekend. Among the hands are those of three members of the Greene family, Doris, and her grandsons, Chandler and Devin, whose brothers, Gage and Derek were gunned down on nearby South Street in 2009. The park and lantern serve as a reminder of the tragedy as well as a sign of hope for the future.
Thumbs up to Alfred residents and selectmen for finding a compromise on the yellow ribbons tied around trees on the village green that are meant to honor men and women serving in the military. Selectmen established a new policy regarding the yellow ribbons Tuesday after the mother of a soldier serving in Afghanistan drove by one day to find bare trees. Sue Babb-McKinney of Alfred, whose son, Staff Sgt. Joel Babb, is on his third tour of duty in a war zone, placed the ribbons on the trees and worried they weren’t welcome after the ribbons were removed. The ribbons were removed after Alfred Festival Day due to their appearance, selectmen said, but the ribbons will be allowed ”“ one per tree and need to be replaced every three months by the person who put them up, or sooner, if they become tattered and faded, selectmen decided.
Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you want to respond, feel free to write to the Readers’ Forum via e-mail at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
