Hello friends and neighbors!

Our Voter Registrar and Town Clerk Gaye Wagner reports that she now has the ballots for the state referendum election on Nov. 7. Therefore, you can vote in person at the Town Office during office hours or you can apply for an absentee ballot if you prefer. As usual, the polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

There are four questions on this year’s ballot: two citizen initiatives, a bond issue, and a constitutional amendment. Question 1 is “An Act to Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County.” (Do you want to allow a certain company to operate table games and/or slot machines in York County, subject to state and local approval, with part of the profits going to the specific programs described in the initiative?)

Question 2 is “An Act to Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care.” (Do you want Maine to expand Medicaid to provide healthcare coverage for qualified adults under age 65 with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, which in 2017 means $16,643 for a single person and $22,412 for a family of two?)

Question 3 is “An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Improve Highways, Bridges, and Multimodal Facilities and Upgrade Municipal Culverts.” (Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of highways and bridges and for facilities or equipment related to ports, harbors, marine transportation, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, transit and bicycle and pedestrian trails, to be used to match an estimated $137,000,000 in federal and other funds, and for the upgrade of municipal culverts at stream crossings?)

Question 4’s Constitutional Amendment proposal is “Resolution, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Reduce Volatility in State Pension Funding Requirements Caused by Financial Markets.” (Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to reduce volatility in state pension funding requirements caused by the financial markets by increasing the length of time over which experience losses are amortized from 10 years to 20 years, in line with pension industry standards?)

The Westport Community Association is once again hosting a Halloween Party at the Old Town Hall on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. It’s always a fun night, so come dressed in costume to vie for prizes and to dance to the tunes of a great local DJ. The Old Town Hall is transformed into a spookily lit venue for both kids and adults. This family-friendly free event offers food, games and prizes. Please bring a non-perishable item for the Helping Hands Food Pantry. Special thanks to event sponsor Eloise Baker.

Please don’t hesitate to contact your newshound pat-dick@midcoast.com or call 231-4049.