To the editor:

At Town Meeting June 12 at Consolidated School in Kennebunkport taxpayers and residents are being asked to vote favorably on appropriating $250,000 on an initial payment of what could be a million dollars to pay for the town’s predicted legal costs for the suit in the Goose Rocks Beach litigation. I will be voting against funding those legal costs.

To me, and my many neighbors, this litigation seems very unnecessary. The town can easily withdraw from it with no loss of public access to the beach. Surely, that sum of money could be put to better use instead on increasing funding the quality of our schools for the children, enhancing the recreation department, and elderly programs.

I would love to see some athletic fields with lights. So vote “No” on article 49 as written. Let’s be sensible about how our tax money is being used.

Chris Celi

Kennebunkport

To the editor:

We all can agree Goose Rocks Beach is a special place, but we cannot allow ourselves to be shortsighted if we want to preserve and protect it.

Southern Maine is experiencing a significant upsurge in tourism and real estate development, as are many seaside areas. Evan Richert of the Muskie School of Public Services predicts that, “By 2020, the entire coast from Kittery to Penobscot Bay will take on the characteristics of suburban landscapes.”

He is quoted as saying he holds little hope that current approaches to land use will curb this trend.

The writing is on the wall. Everyone who cares about preserving the beauty of Goose Rocks Beach, its dunes and wildlife should be concerned over damage and disruption of the eco-system that often results from increased use. With considerable amounts of developable land close to Goose Rocks, there is potential for significant commercial and residential growth. Tourism continues to be promoted by both local and state governments. 

Approximately 93 percent of Maine’s coastline and much of Goose Rocks Beach is private. Contrary to assertions by the town, private owners of the beachfront do not want to restrict the public from walking the beach. Nor is anyone looking to change longstanding agreements among friends and neighbors to share their beach property. 

Making all of Goose Rocks Beach one of a few of Maine’s public beaches would be handing over the future of this special gem to the whims and changing political and economic priorities of governments.

What stands between this “slice of heaven” and just another crowded tourist destination could depend on the outcome of the town vote and subsequent court decisions. Please think to the future, and help preserve a resource we can’t afford to lose. Vote “No” on article 49 as written.

Leslie Josselyn-Rose

Pittsford, N.Y.

To the editor:

I’m taking a stand against the town of Kennebunkport in the Goose Rocks Beach lawsuit. There are many reasons and I’ll state a few.

This is a private property rights issue and I support those rights.

Bell vs. Wells (The Moody Beach Case) was settled in 1989 in favor of the property owners and not much has changed in regard to the use of the beach. There are still a few owners who don’t want the public to use “their” beach but the vast majority allows it.

At a time when severe cuts are being made in our school and other departments, I don’t think it’s a prudent use of taxpayer money.

I clearly remember the original estimates for legal fees in the Moody Beach case and how the cost ended up about 20 times higher.

The town has spent about $90,000 so far and is asking for at least $250,000 more now and who knows how much more beyond that. The Moody Beach case went on for about six years. Will the town be required to pay the plaintiffs’ expenses if they lose? The real winners were and will be the attorneys.

I think the beach will be best protected in the future in the hands of private owners. I remember Wells Beach back in the late 1950s when it was much like Goose Rocks now. Have you been there lately?

If the town wins the suit, what will the beach look like years from now? The land use ordinance permits hotels, motels and restaurants within about a mile from the beach. Mobile home parks are currently permitted in the zone and there are hundreds of acres of land available to build them. If you don’t think these things will happen you’d better look around to surrounding towns. It would be a tragedy to spoil this hidden gem.

If the town would simply acknowledge the beach owner’s rights and work out a reasonable solution to the other matters, everyone will be better off.

Bill Case

Kennebunkport

To the editor:

Kennebunkport voters may not understand how much money will be voted on for the Goose Rocks Beach litigation at the June 12 Town Meeting.

One warrant article requests $350,000, which includes $85,000 for the annual legal budget and $250,000 for Goose Rocks Beach litigation, pursuing the prescriptive easement over privately owned beach. 

Another article requests an unspecified amount of funds, to be taken from the undesignated fund balance, to cover this year’s legal account overdraft. Town Manager Larry Mead expects to know by Town Meeting the amount of the overdraft.

According to Mead, the town has spent $105,000 for the legal account so far this fiscal year. Our legal budget is $95,000. The budgeted amount approved at last year’s Town Meeting was $85,000 but selectmen carried over $10,000 from the previous year. Out of our $95,000 budget we have spent $91,300 on the Goose Rocks case so far.

There is a better way to resolve this matter.

Instead of the town spending hundreds of thousands of dollars gambling on a legal outcome, Selectmen should recognize that sections of the beach are in private ownership and begin negotiating public recreational access with willing property owners. We can’t afford to dig in our heels during this stressful and uncertain economic time. 

Susan Graham

Kennebunkport

To the editor:

A recent charter revision gives Kennebunk voters the opportunity to vote on the town budget by secret ballot Tuesday.

This budget exceeds last year’s expenditures by more than 10 percent, or $1,100,000, this coupled with the increase of $778,000 in our costs for the schools of the regional school unit, is not being fiscally responsible during the current economic climate. Please consider this when you vote.

Edward Geoghan

Kennebunk

To the editor:

Tuesday, June 8 brings a very important election for Kennebunk residents and all Mainers. I hope everyone will vote, whether by absentee ballot or at their polling place, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

On the state ballot I will vote “Yes” on Question 1, to repeal 300-plus new sales taxes on everything from car repairs to movie tickets. We don’t need any new taxes.

For governor, my vote goes to primary candidate Steve Abbott, a seasoned fiscal conservative. 

As always, I will vote “No” on all state bonds. We need to quit the endless borrowing and spend what we can afford.

For Congress, my vote goes to Dean Scontras.

For Statehouse, my votes go to Paul Bennett in District 141, and to Wayne Parry for District 140.

Senate District 4 will get my vote for Dr. Owen Pickus.

On the Kennebunk ballot:

I will write in Richard Morin and William Ward for Kennebunk selectmen. Don’t forget to fill in the write-in oval or your votes won’t count.

On the town budget, I will vote “No” on funding the Kennebunk Shuttle and Shoreline Trolley, just as Kennebunkport has already done. (Question 17).

I will also say “No” to the Mobil Station purchase. Too risky due to the old tanks; too many potential expensive town “Taj Mahal” projects. (Question 19). 

No matter how you decide to vote on these issues, please make sure that you do cast your ballot Tuesday.

Naran Row-Spaulding

Kennebunk

To the editor:

Several people are wrongly and misleadingly encouraging Kennebunk voters to vote against the purchase of the  Mobil station downtown. They claim  a “No” vote is prident because the site is a potential “Love Canal” on Main Street, and that we should let C. N. Brown, who now owns the vacant property, to pay for clean up. Scare tactics like that should not sway Kennebunk voters.

It has been clearly stated the property will not be paid for with local taxes. The town has already been given a grant for the work to be done and only the town can get that grant. C. N. Brown cannot get that same grant, nor can any other purchaser of the property.

If we vote “No,” that building will remain vacant and will be allowed to fall down, causing more problems than a few yards of potentially contaminated soil. 

C. N. Brown has other options. It could decide maintenance and clean up cost outweigh the benefits of ownership and decide to abandon the building. This would force the town to take legal actions that would be expensive and could take years to resolve. This is the risk those oppose to the purchase want Kennebunk taxpayers to take.

Don’t let these negative people, who have cost local taxpayers money by forcing reelections, subjecting the town to legal bills, stalled programs and attacked town officials do it again. 

Encourage the town not to keep the property, but to resell. Once this site is cleared, the property can then be put up for sale.

We should not allow ourselves to be scared by a handful of Chicken Littles. 

New businesses are moving in on Main Street. Vote “Yes” to keep the positive work on Main Street moving forward.

Steven Burr

Kennebunk

To the editor:

Richard Morin has been a part of Kennebunk for many years, with being on the site plan review board for 15 years to working in other areas of town business. Richard, being a businessman, knows the issues that face all of us.

He will work to be proactive in approach to saving and building efficiency in town government. There is a lot that needs to be done to allow service levels to be maintained while lowering the cost and saving all of us money.

Richard is the type of person that we need. So please write in Richard Morin on June 8 for selectman. He will work for all of us.

Marybeth Munroe

Kennebunk

To the editor:

I will be voting “Yes” on state referendum Question 1 because we are neglecting to address the real issues in this state. We need to send a message to Augusta that our welfare system, the most liberal in the country, has to be overhauled.

You, the working man and woman, are trying to handle the daily stress of the family budget. Augusta wants more of your money while people you actually know continue to live off the state. There are people in this pool who have the ability to work. 

Let’s keep small business out of the sales tax business. More than ever there is tremendous pressure on pricing for small business and we do not have the resources to gather and analyze data, so we usually operate on fear. An increase in the sales tax is a psychological “price increase” into the minds of the customer. We are tired of absorbing the potential harm. If you appear to be expensive you will see your sales decline. 2009 was one of the worst tourist seasons in decades mostly due to weather. Any further decline could be devastating to business.

Every business that collects sales tax in Maine does it for free and therefore works for free. In other states they allow the business to retain a certain percentage of the tax as a collection agent. For those business owners very uncomfortable with numbers they will enlist help in this collection. Thousands of owners who have never collected tax will experience fear and anxiety over the system. 

I am the reality candidate. I need your help on Nov. 2 to help lift the fog in Augusta. More than 60,000 people in this state signed a petition to get this on the ballot. Let’s deliver a “Yes” vote for them.

Paul Bennett

Kennebunk

To the editor

During the past year I have studied the numerous candidates in both parties who are running for governor. I feel Democrat Steve Rowe is a refreshing alternative to those who posture and preen and make promises they can never fulfill.

Steve is the person who observes, listens carefully, asks thoughtful questions and offers innovative solutions to fixing the problems. He is a West Point graduate,  Army veteran and holds both an MBA and a law degree. He worked at Fairchild and Unum before practicing law.

Steve was elected to the Maine House of Representatives where he was chairman of many important committees, including economic development and natural resources.

He was elected speaker of the house and attorney general. As attorney general, Steve took on predatory lenders and argued and won a Clean Water Act case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The people I most respect in public service also support his candidacy.

I believe he is the person who best meets the challenges that Maine faces.

I hope you too will support Steve Rowe in the Maine Democratic primary election June 8.

Roger A. Hansen

Kennebunk

To the editor:

As a voter, I have been impressed with the number of good candidates running for the office of governor on both sides. As a Democrat, I have attended a candidates’ night, and listed to a televised debate of the candidates running in my party. I was having a hard time making up my mind. Then I had a chance to hear several of our local representatives speak positively about Steve Rowe. State Sen. Nancy Sullivan, who has worked with most of the candidates in the legislature, enthusiastically endorsed Rowe calling him “the most ethical and honest person I have ever worked with in politics.” That sold me.

On top of that sterling endorsement, I point to the unique kinds of experience Steve Rowe would bring to the office of governor. He is a West Point graduate and served six years as a military officer. 

Then he served four terms in the Maine legislature ending up as the speaker of the house. Subsequently he was elected as our attorney general. With his record of success, diverse experience and leadership skills, I think Steve is the best candidate to lead Maine in facing today’s challenges.

Susan Gesing

Kennebunkport

To the editor:

The small ones just setting out on their journey through RSU 21 watched with curiosity as the big kids walked the halls and sat at desks in classrooms at Kennebunk Elementary School. These big kids were ending their journey by taking the International Baccalaureate exams on exactly the same days as students around the world. Eleven of these students made history by being the first IB diploma students in Maine.

We are the proud parents of these intrepid 11 and we applaud the courage, enterprise and real sustained effort our kids have shown for the last two years. However, the success of our students is a reflection of the support and dedication of the IB teachers. 

We recognize teachers must make an enormous commitment to become an IB teacher by learning how to teach in a new way. No longer are long strings of facts given to be memorized. Material must be assessed, questioned and analyzed in a deep and systematic way. Teachers must learn to work together so concepts from one subject are applied to another.

We watched in amazement as our kids grew from studious, but sometimes uninspired students to true scholars. We are certain they will succeed at the top colleges they will attend. Some will gain a full year of college credit as elite colleges value diploma students. 

Graduates will continue to apply the approach as their careers unfold within a dynamic geopolitical environment. We feel very fortunate that the district rose to the challenge of the International Baccalaureate standards just in time for our kids to rise to the challenge of being standard-bearers.

Thank you RSU 21 and IB teachers. The educational journey of those little ones will follow a broader path because of you.

Erin Beal, Ian Burke, Alienor Leon, Heather Philbrick, Hally Peterson, Spencer Pope, Johnny Price, Aisling Rice, Mike Tahan, Lauren Small, Spenser Wood

Parents of International Baccalareate students

To the editor:

One trillion dollars could buy a lot of things. This is the amount we have spent in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is time to stop. It is time to bring home the service men and women.

Bevan Davies

Kennebunk