September in Old Orchard Beach has brought an end to the tourist season; however, it is just the beginning of some of the best times in Maine. As legislators, we have the opportunity to send mailings to the people we serve once a year, and I chose to generate and send out a survey to the citizens of Old Orchard Beach to take the pulse on some issues that are coming up in the next session.
The idea behind the survey is to ask questions in such a way that will not influence any answers; in turn, I can get a true picture of what my town is thinking about with these issues. Furthermore, I left a space where responders can make comments about other concerns they have with the state government. More than 300 of the surveys have been submitted in just one week, and it is pretty exciting reading the comments and seeing the remarks.
The top three priorities from this town-wide survey reflect the concerns of my town. Thus far, number one on the list is government spending, with education coming in a close second, followed closely by health care costs. Many of the surveys have been dropped off personally to me at our family store and that has afforded me the opportunity to have some frank discussions about the state of affairs in people’s households. It is eye-opening for me to hear that people are worried about the elections, about the uncertainty of the Affordable Care Act, and about how their family is going to put food on the table and heat their home this winter.
These discussions have made the survey so valuable because it has opened up some insightful dialogue and has instilled in me a great desire to fix the problems and quell the concerns.
Changing gears for a moment, as a person who lives, works and plays in Old Orchard Beach, I am extremely proud to show off our schools, businesses and citizens. As the state representative, it was a humbling experience that I was asked to give the opening remarks for the POW/MIA Recognition Weekend at The Ballpark, where both Gov. Paul LePage and Congressman Michael Michaud attended personally. It was a weekend filled with stories and tears. It brought old friends together and presented opportunities for civilians to take a ride in a Huey helicopter that flew missions in the Vietnam War.
As I listened to the stories of the sacrifices made and the friends and family wounded or lost, I could not help but think about how their sacrifices have empowered us as Americans the freedom to speak our minds and demand that we are heard.
Being able to take surveys, such as the one I generated for the Old Orchard Beach community, is an attempt to have all citizens utilize that right to be heard until someone listens. It is with great hope that every survey is read, reflected upon and returned. More importantly, my friends and neighbors ”“ regardless of party affiliation and/or personal beliefs ”“ need to know that I read and reflect upon every word in an attempt to improve the quality of life in my community.
The results from the survey will allow me to carry all of your concerns back to Augusta in the upcoming session.
— Rep. Sharri MacDonald represents House Distrsict 132, Old Orchard Beach. Her column appears on the fourth Monday of each month.
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