Goodbye, George

Tell it to George is a very popular column in this newspaper with some readers, primarily because it’s often filled with comments slamming one thing (or person) or another. It could, on occasion, be called mud-slinging.

Unfortunately, once readers discover it’s an ideal outlet for criticizing another person, place, or thing, without having to stand up and be counted, folks tend to become a bit over-zealous in expressing their opinions.

For many years, letters to the editor have not been printed unless they were signed (and the name printed in the newspaper). There have been precious few times when it was acceptable to withhold a name, such as when a woman who is subject to domestic abuse wants to speak out, or a teenager living in an unsafe home environment decides to share his or her story with the public.

We learned a long time ago that if folks aren’t held accountable for their words and actions, they’ll take a lot more liberties than when they are. Such is the case in the Tell it to George column. Criticism is fine, but it should be tasteful, and the individual leveling the attack should be willing to stand up and be counted.

An increasing number of readers in recent months have chosen to strike out through the George column, knowing they could express any opinion, no matter how strident, without any fear of repercussions. The June 4 column was a perfect example. While it’s certainly an individual’s right to support the candidate of his or her choice, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. The lengthy criticisms leveled against candidate David Nichols by those who didn’t wish to identify themselves were, we feel, the height of mud-slinging. Making it even worse was that the comments were timed to appear in the last issue of the newspaper before the election, leaving Mr. Nichols no opportunity to respond. That’s not playing fair ball.

We’ve given the George column a fair trial but have decided to end the column with this issue. We appreciate those who wrote responsibly in an effort to bring a number of important issues to light. Others, unfortunately, couldn’t wait to be critical of others as long as they could hide under the cloak of secrecy.

Letters will always be welcome; it’s the public’s way of expressing itself on a wide variety of issues. These, too, however, should be in good taste and free of personal attacks, and they must be signed (and should include a means of verifying the author’s identity). And tips on possible story ideas, even anonymously, are always appreciated.

Mary Brewer

Dear Editor:

This letter is addressed to the cowardly misguided and uninformed person who used the anonymity afforded by your newspaper’s "Tell it to George" column to attack the Westport Island Citizen Information Committee (WICIC) with totally unfounded and malicious lies.

WICIC came into being several years ago when a significant number of Westport citizens sought to improve the dissemination of information pertinent to issues of importance to all Westport residents. WICIC’s sole mission was then and still is to provide a forum for the discussion of mattes vital to the community and to provide Westporters with facts so that they may better make informed judgments relative to those issues.

WICIC meetings are not held in secret. Anyone who has expressed an interest in participating in our meetings is on our e-mail list and receives notice of all meetings, the time and place of meeting. We have no formal organization. Any Westport Island citizen is welcome. If the person who wrote to "George" has the guts to step forward, I shall personally see to it that he or she is informed of our next gathering.

Let me set the record straight on the issues raised by our anonymous detractor. WICIC has never sued or threatened to sue the Town of Westport for any reason. The legal proceedings concerning the Ferry Landing were brought by parties who have never been involved in WICIC in any way. WICIC has never endorsed or supported any candidate for political office nor have we ever spoken in opposition to any such candidate. WICIC has never had a candidate running for the upcoming Third Selectmen position. If any supporter of WICIC contemplated such a race it was without our knowledge or consent.

As to the possible conflict of interest that might arise by virtue of Mr. Bodmer also holding the position of Westport Plumbing Inspector, that is a matter for the Board of Selectmen and perhaps the MMA to address. WICIC has not expressed an opinion on this matter and certainly has never threatened Jerry. Speaking personally, not as a participant of WICIC, Jerry Bodmer is a friend of mine and will receive my full support for his candidacy. I believe he will be a fine selectman, and I urge all Westporters to vote for him on June 19.

As to the reference to Alan Bebout’s article about the RSU, again his very informative article in the Wiscasset Newspaper was written in his capacity as a contributor to the newspaper. To infer that WICIC had anything to do with it only demonstrates that our "Tell it to George" author’s real motive seems to be that of trying to ferment dissent when there is none.

Respectively submitted,

Morton R. Mendes, a Westporter

Citizens of Wiscasset:

I would like to thank the citizens of Wiscasset who voted for me June 9 for the office of Selectman. I will work diligently representing the taxpayers during the remainder of my term on the Budget Committee.

Congratulations to Bob Blagdon, Pam Dunning, Phil DeVice and Greg Griffin on winning their respective seats.

Wiscasset has important issues ahead and I have full confidence in Bob, Pam and Phil to put the citizens of Wiscasset at the forefront in their decision making process.

Sincerely,

Dear Editor:

On the Tuesday of the SVRSU Budget Review I found what I believed was a large error in the budget. At that point I formally retracted my support of the budget. Based on my findings, the increase in the budget was close to 10 percent versus the 1.9 percent reported.

To me that did not pass the straight face test for an action that the state already had banked savings on and had told the public would save them money. As part of the SVRSU Finance Committee, I was well aware that the budget was thrown together in less than five weeks from eight separate budgets that were in three different formats – a daunting task, to say the least. I cannot say I am not at fault as I did not review the budget with the due diligence I should have as the process progressed.

I am not about cutting staff, effective programs, and the safety of the environment the staff and the students live in. I am about the correctness of the facts being presented to the public. I am about ensuring that, in these hard times for the public paying the bills, the ARRA funds will be fully applied where practical and the potential for carryover at the end of the 2009-10 school year will be reduced or eliminated.

I now have spent many hours reviewing the budget and will try to ensure that the 2009-10 SVRSU budget will reflect education staffing needs of the students. It is now time to sharpen our pencils.

Richard DeVries

Westport Island

Dear Editor:

The winner of the floor cloth raffle is Elisha Elliott of Westport Island. The winning ticket was drawn at the spaghetti supper fund-raiser at Wiscasset High School on Friday, May 29.

Our family wishes to thank everyone, individuals and businesses, who helped us raise money for the AFS foreign exchange program to France.

Darcie Hutchins

Yvette Alexandrou

Wiscasset

Citizens of Wiscasset:

I would like to thank those who voted for me in the June 9 election.

I am aware of the responsibilities I am facing and the trust you have shown in me. I am looking forward to working with you all for the next three years.

Sincerely

Pam Dunning

Dear Editor:

Our sincere appreciation to all the businesses and individuals who donated to the True Family Benefit and to all who attended!

Montsweag Roadhouse donated their facility, staff, gift certificates and so much more... thank you Chris!!

The Copy Shop, Le Garage, Wiscasset Community Center, Red’s Eats, Stacy Souza, Greg’s Used Cars, Jennifer Peaslee, Karen Dalton, Sherri Dunbar, In The Clover, Piranha Brothers, Barbarian BBQ, Big Al’s, Pat’s Barber Shop, Glen and Sandy Craig Echo Lodge, Ames True Value, Poole Brothers, Shaw’s Supermarket... thanks to all of you!

Debbie Cronk

Dresden

Truth is stranger than fiction

Several weeks ago I became interested in a case involving the Maine Motor Vehicle Department a large insurance company and a young man living in Maine.  I will refer to him as Robert.

Robert for the most part has overcome the effects of a very difficult childhood, growing up in an orphanage and leaving school early.  He has two children whom he actively supports.  He is self-employed in a seasonal occupation.  He works hard in the summer to earn about $22,000 a year before taxes.

On July 23, 2004, Robert was driving in Androscoggin County when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident.  No one was injured.  Damages to the other vehicle were around $6,000 as I can best ascertain.  No drugs or alcohol were involved.  The police at the accident scene found evidence that both drivers were insured and there was no record of outstanding tickets or warrants.  No summons was issued to either driver.  No suspensions were invoked as a result of the accident.  It was a simple traffic accident: a "fender bender."

Sometime later the other driver’s insurance company, Concord Insurance, found that Robert’s insurance had lapsed at the time of the accident.  Robert was unaware of this at the time of the accident because the notice of cancellation was sent to an old address.  In the spring of 2008, Robert failed to appear at a hearing regarding the accident and a judgment of $19,000 was placed against him.  The number $19,000 remains a mystery.

It would take Robert 50 years to pay the judgment at $150 a month with a 9.4 percent interest rate as proposed by the Insurance Company.

Under a unique Maine law concerning outstanding judgments, as a result of no insurance, his license was revoked until the judgment was satisfied or arrangements were made to satisfy the judgment.  Keep in mind that the judgment was not in favor of an individual but in favor of an insurance company.

After making the first six monthly payments, Robert missed two payments this winter when his income was very low.  As a result, the Concord Insurance Company notified the Maine Motor Vehicle Bureau and according to that same Maine law, his license was again suspended until the judgment was satisfied in full.  BUT in addition, Robert found that this Maine law would not allow him to obtain a limited work permit to drive to and from his job.

There is no doubt that Robert made many errors.  BUT, the sad situation that the state of Maine has left him in is incomprehensible.  Without the ability to drive, he cannot work, he cannot pay state or federal taxes and he cannot make his child support payments.  He has no alternative other than applying for public assistance for himself and for his children.  It is not clear how this law benefits the state.

We now get to the crux of the matter. For some reason the state of Maine has positioned itself as a debt collector for the insurance companies by revoking driver’s licenses because of a defaulted civil debt, a debt not owed to the state, not to an individual, but owed to a million dollar insurance company.

Equally questionable, this particular law has a clear element of unfairness when compared to other criminal statutes by not allowing permits to drive to and from work.  For example, a person is allowed to get a work permit shortly after having killed someone while operating under the influence (OUI).

I do not know how this law was initiated, but I can guess that the lobbyists for insurance companies were involved. Nor do I know how it is supposed to benefit the hard working people of Maine whose taxes will have to fund its ramifications – support Robert.

To me, when it comes to Maine law, truth is stranger than fiction.

On July 4—Does History Still Matter?

As we celebrate July 4 with barbecues and sales at discount stores, we have to ask ourselves whether history still matters in America.  What meaning does the Fourth of July have, and does anyone still recognize the history it represents?

For me, the answer is both personal and professional.  Until the very end of his life my grandfather could immediately quote the date of July 27, 1927 as the day that he left Germany, and August 5 as the date that he arrived in New York harbor.  

I have my grandmother’s "American Citizens Handbook," which summarizes principles of American life while noting historic people and places that an American must know.  It speaks of "the aspirations that have brought happiness and achievement to the America we all love."  The aspirations my grandparents brought to their journey to America are repeated every day among those who continue to come here from all parts of the globe seeking a better life, but especially seeking to live under the American ideals of liberty, opportunity and personal freedom.  

That little book reminds me that our American heritage and the ideals on which it is based are embodied and made real to us in the tangible places and things that have been preserved in our museums, historic sites and archives. 

Although we live at a time when unimaginable change surrounds us—the Internet building worldwide connections of which our grandparents could not have dreamed, the financial world that we have known for a century seeming to collapse, and difficult decisions being made about the priorities of our country and our communities—we are reminded by history that our ancestors faced even greater changes and yet survived and often prospered. 

In times of uncertainty, we turn to history.  We compare our time to the financial collapse of the 1930s, or our international challenges to the World Wars, or our increasing recognition that diversity is a strength to the conflicts that resulted in earlier times.  History provides the anchor, whether in a personal way or for the larger issues society faces.

The July 4 holiday is not just a day off for a sale, it is an annual invitation to turn to history to renew our own understanding that America has always been about ideals and opportunities.  Through it all, Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, realized or not, the ideals remain at the core, and on July 4 history reminds us that our ability to pursue them as we see fit is the essence of American life.

Carl R. Nold is president of Historic New England, which owns and operates Castle Tucker and the Nickels-Sortwell House in Wiscasset, and is chairman of the board of directors of the American Association of Museums.