Thumbs up to all those who supported local businesses at last weekend’s Small Business Saturday. Although it was preceded by the busiest shopping day of the year ”“ Black Friday ”“ many locals turned out to support their favorite Main Street shops and get some holiday shopping done. It’s good for people to shop local, as studies show that more of the money spent in local stores stays in the community, in contrast to large chains and big box stores.
According to the Retail Merchants Association, of every $1 spent at local businesses, 45 cents is reinvested locally. For those who missed Small Business Saturday, there are still many opportunities to support local businesses, including a plethora of holiday fairs. Local merchants also often extend their hours in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Thumbs down to the continued complaints over Sanford’s reduction in its leaf removal service. It was great while it lasted, but now Sanford cannot continue to cover all the city’s roads for leaf pick up, so it must only clean the streets with catch basins, to make sure there aren’t flooding issues in heavy rain situations. Residents whose streets have seen the service dropped need to get a grip on the city’s financial realities ”“ and rake, bag and drop off their leaves without complaint.
Thumbs up to the newly inaugurated mayors of Biddeford and Saco. Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant was inaugurated Tuesday in a festive affair at the Biddeford High School Little Theater. Casavant was re-elected to serve a second term at the polls in November. Don Pilon, who long served in the Maine Statehouse, was elected to his first term as mayor of Saco on Election Day, and was inaugurated last Monday at the Saco Museum. We wish both mayors the best of luck in leading the twin cities throughout their terms.
Thumbs up to the Sanford Police Association and city officials for agreeing to a new, three-year contract that provides future pay increases based on how the city is faring. City Manager Steve Buck said the contract is the first of its kind in Sanford, but he believes it will be the wave of the future. Under the contract, 75 percent of the cost of living increase will be based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners, with 25 percent based on net new value in the community. The least amount an employee would receive is a 1 percent raise, while the maximum would be 3 percent, according to Buck. Union negotiations can be contentious; and it’s encouraging to hear that all parties were satisfied with this agreement, which takes into account the city’s financial situation.
Thumbs up to Kennebunk Elementary School and physical education teacher Diane Dyer for securing a grant for its implementation of the “Let’s Go 5210” program. “5210” stands for meeting the daily goals of: five recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, less than two hours of recreational screen time, at least one hour of physical fitness and zero sugary drinks. Due to its work so far to help students meet these goals, the school was recognized for its efforts, some of which include encouraging students to bring healthy snacks and lunches to school and offering a fruit bowl in the main office, sponsored by the PTA, for students who may not be able to bring their own; a 12-station exercise circuit for students, including a stationary bike for teachers; and a 5210 Wellness Day in March that offers workshops for students. It’s great the see the school and staff working toward being healthy and active, and we applaud them for their efforts.
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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 email at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford office.
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