Dear Editor:

I am sitting in my tent in Chewonki Campground in Wiscasset at 5 a.m., watching the sun come up through the trees, and I am wondering if they will be here in the near future. According to an engineer's drawings, these trees are "hazards" to airplanes taking off and landing at the Wiscasset Municipal Airport and must be removed to protect imaginary airspace.

A seasonal business composed of transitory visitors may seem insignificant to Wiscasset, for nearly all of these people are here for relatively short stays. The advantage of this business is that it brings in outside dollars to Wiscasset, and then when the season is over, you get your town back again. But while we are here in Wiscasset, we purchase food and supplies, medicine and even the occasional doctor's visit, support the arts and restaurants, buy T-shirts and antiques, and make donations to the community in support of churches and charities.

The engineer's drawings show that the trees around me now would all be gone. She also said during the selectmen's meeting that moving Route 144 would be a prohibitive cost of $3,000,000. However, the loss of most of the trees, and the subsequent loss of Chewonki Campground and would far more than relocating the road. It would seem short-sighted to not consider the total loss to all businesses in Wiscasset, beyond the very great personal loss to be felt by Pam Brackett and Ann Beck and their daughters Phaelon and Johanna, of the business started by their parents more than 50 years ago. If the FAA is willing to pay to remove trees and take land that would ultimately destroy this business; would it not be more prudent and ultimately more beneficial to all for the FAA to direct its funds towards relocating the road?

One-by-one and family-by-family, we support this campground and ultimately we support Wiscasset too. Please consider the total cost to the community before before losing this great asset of Chewonki Campground.

Deb Mensinger

Melrose, Mass.