Post Posts

Legal bills drive ’Port budget talk (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:18:00 GMT

By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

An increase in legal fees related to a Goose Rocks Beach lawsuit and upcoming town improvements lead the reasons behind Kennebunkport’s anticipated 8 percent budget increase.

Kennebunkport Board of Selectmen and Budget Board took a first look March 4 at the town’s $6.34 million budget and allowed department heads to review their suggested budgets, said Town Manager Larry Mead.

Residents will have a chance to weigh in on whether to spend an estimated $250,000 to settle questions about who owns Goose Rocks Beach.

“It’ll give the town’s residents and voters a chance to take position on supporting the town’s efforts at preserving the public’s right to (use) Goose Rocks Beach or not,” Mead said of June’s Town Meeting. “It’s hard to put a price on the value of the beach as a resource to the town.”

Capital improvements in the town’s budget also will increase to compensate for projects delayed from last year when the budget was cut to eliminate a tax increase.

Improvements suggested in the proposed budget include replacing sidewalks on Ocean Avenue and stabilizing an embankment on the Kennebunk River at Silas Perkins Park.

Also proposed is a highway equipment reserve fund of $100,000 to replace vehicles, including two plow trucks.

More than 100, 40-year-old ailing elm trees throughout Kennebunkport may also contribute to the budget increase. Last year the town tried a less expensive treatment to guard the trees against disease, but last summer a fungus affected some of the trees. The proposed budget adds $4,000 to pay for a treatment that was successful in the past.

“We don’t know for sure, it’s certainly a possible reason for it,” Mead said of the connection between the fungus and treatment.

Mead said Kennebunkport has the second largest number of elms in the state.

On the other side of the budget ledger, revenues are expected to increase slightly, Mead said. The biggest jump in revenues comes from the excise tax, which is projected to increase by $95,000.

Mead said he anticipated a large drop in revenues last year because of the economic downturn.

“I’d rather exceed my budget projections than not meet them,” Mead said.

According to a document Mead sent to the board of selectmen and budget board, an average home valued at $400,000 would see a 2.3 percent or $56 tax increase under the proposed budget. The projection is based on the presumption of no significant changes to a RSU 21 school board budget proposal and no increase from the previous year.

Budget discussions continue next Thursday, March 18.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.

Duo not missing Mary’s Walk again (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:16:00 GMT

By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

A year ago, Louise Hurlbutt sat in a hospital isolation unit, holding a team hat in her hands while friends walked to raise money in her honor.

This year, Hurlbutt, 67, will speak about her experiences with breast cancer before taking to the road in the 12^th annual Mary’s Walk in Saco. By her side will be friend and fellow Kennebunk business owner Bonnie Clement, who is undergoing treatment for stage 2 breast cancer.

Hurlbutt, who owns Hurlbutt Designs in Kennebunk’s Lower Village, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of stage 2 breast cancer last year, on the same day her sister was diagnosed with cancer. Clement, 57, was diagnosed in August with the same form of cancer and both women underwent treatment that included surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and an experimental drug. Using the drug elevated their cure rate to 85 percent, Hurlbutt said.

“We are very fortunate this is our diagnosis,” she said. “We’ve been able to hold on to hope, to say we can do this.”

Hurlbutt and Clement said they want to help others by sharing their stories of battling cancer. Emphasizing the importance of early detection through digital mammograms and raising money for research are essential to finding a cure for cancer and saving lives, they said.

All money from Mary’s Walk and the Kerrymen Pub Road Race benefits the Maine Cancer Foundation in Portland. The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Sunday at Thornton Academy with registration and a community gathering for life featuring Gov. John Baldacci and Hurlbutt.

Mary’s Walk is named for Mary Jude Kerry Libby, from Saco who died of cancer on March 7, 1997. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $1.2 million for cancer research in Maine.

The Kennebunk community, friends, clients and family all have donated money to Team Hurlbutt and HB Provisions, many donating in memory of family members with cancer, Hurlbutt said. Team Hurlbutt was the top fundraising team for last year’s event and brought in $13,900.

Keeping research money in Maine is an important aspect of the event, said Peter King, manager of special events for the cancer foundation.

“The community really rallies around family and friends to support the mission of the Maine Cancer Foundation,” he said. “It’s local people supporting local research.”

In addition to supporting local research, the community turned out in force to support Hurlbutt and Clement. Hurlbutt said that kind of support is needed as patients navigate through a period that is emotionally and physically draining.

“You ride these waves up and down of emotion,” she said.

While Hurlbutt was undergoing treatment, a friend created a healing garden in front of her business. Another friend brought balloons and a dart gun to her house after each chemotherapy session as a fun way to count down treatments, she said.

Though often left exhausted by treatments, Hurlbutt said she chose to embrace the gifts she was given with her cancer diagnosis. After her first treatment, she came home to find an e-mail from her son with a photo of his newly shaved head.

Her son also moved his wife and baby daughter to Maine for three months so Hurlbutt could spend time with them during treatments. Her daughter drove from New York City to Maine for each of her mother’s chemotherapy treatments.

For Clement, the cancer journey provided gifts in the forms of a renewed friendship and discovery of her strength while facing a difficult situation. A friend who had drifted away is the “biggest gift” because she came back and has stood by Clement’s side since the beginning of treatment, which is expected to end in August, she said.

Clement said it seemed as if doctors were talking about someone else as they explained her cancer diagnosis. After shedding a few tears, she said she decided to educate herself on treatment options and focus on getting better. She went straight to Hurlbutt for advice and was seeing the same doctor at Mercy Hospital within days.

“You’ve got to take the bull by the horn and say ‘I’m going to be strong for myself,’” Clement said.

Throughout the past year, Clement and Hurlbutt have found inspiration in stories they hear of other people fighting cancer. Hurlbutt said she will walk in honor of all those who are fighting cancer, especially her friend Beth Suzor, a Kennebunk Savings Bank employee undergoing treatment.

“It’s grace and gratitude I want to give back to people,” Hurlbutt said. “Hope has to be the guide for you, you can’t give up hope. Today we’re walking for everyone who has cancer.”

They will also be celebrating.

“I’m celebrating life,” Hurlbutt said. “This is my celebration of life.”

“It’s also a celebration of where we are with cancer treatment today,” Clement added. “We are survivors of the treatment. We’re living proof donating money to this cause is critical.”

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.

Middle school choice allowed, board says (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:06:00 GMT

By SuzanneHodgson

Staff Writer

RSU 21 has defined school choice for middle school students in Arundel, but the new policy is at odds with Thornton Academy’s interpretation.

Arundel and Thornton Academy Middle School have a 10-year contract that students from Arundel will go to Thornton Academy Middle School.

After the school district consolidation, questions arose whether Arundel students could go to Middle School of the Kennebunks or if the contract eliminated middle school choice.

Superintendent Andrew Dolloff said the main reason the contract question had come up during the March 1 meeting was a few families in Arundel asked if they could have their middle school aged children transfer into Middle School of the Kennebunks at the end of the year.

Until the March 1 vote, Dolloff had put names of the students who wanted to transfer on a waiting list while the board voted on an official policy.

The board’s interpretation of the contract will change the policy to allow Arundel families the choice between Thornton Academy Middle School or Middle School of the Kennebunks.

Students assigned to one school may change to another for a special education program, if it’s in the best interest of the student or to balance school populations.

Before the vote, the question of whether Arundel students actually had choice or were simply contractually committed to attend Thornton Academy was murky to RSU 21 but clear to Thornton Academy.

The vote has placed the district’s policy on a collision course with its contractual obligations, according to Thornton Academy Headmaster Carl Stasio.

“School district policy cannot trump a contract,” Stasio said.

Stasio also said he had passed the district’s change in policy to Thornton Academy’s lawyers to review.

Dolloff contends language in the contract is ambiguous and therefore open to interpretation.

Stasio disagrees.

“There is no ambiguity in the words, but perhaps I’m just too close to the contract,” Stasio said.

RSU 21 school board members reviewed the first section of the contract,which reads, “The Academy agrees to educate all middle level pupils who qualify as legal residents of Arundel…”

“No question in my mind it was for all the kids,” Stasio said.

“It was the intent of both parties that ‘all’ means all. The intent was that all students go to Thornton Academy Middle School,” said Arundel resident Jon Renell, who was part of contract negotiations in 2004 and spoke during the meeting Monday.

The school district’s attorney said language in the contract was not clear enough and would allow both sides to be argued, Dollof said.

But Dolloff also said the attorney suggested a judge would consider the intent of those who were there during the negotiation of the contract.

“It is likely the academy’s position is more likely to be correct than ours,” Dolloff said.

Last week Arundel parents received a survey from RSU 21 that asked what they thought of both school systems, which they would prefer their children attend and what they feel should be done with the contract.

During recent district budget meetings, Finance Committee Chairman John Sharood said he thought the school district would be unable to continue the extent of cuts proposed for the next fiscal year.

Sharood noted that one way to curtail continued budget cuts would be to look at long-term structural changes, such as closing one of the district’s schools or severing the Thornton Academy contract.

If the contract is broken, RSU 21 could save approximately $4 million,according to a presentation by Dolloff in February. This figure does not take into account the cost of more teachers, supplies or food, and the savings amount drops as more students stay at Thornton.

The contract will be renegotiated in July 2011 if no changes are made this year, according to rules of the contract.

For now, school board members say they are taking the contract debate one step at a time. RSU 21 still is awaiting the results of a facilities study with Harriman Associates to determine whether closing a school would be beneficial and what structural maintenance all the buildings may require district-wide.

Dolloff has said once all studies are complete the school board and administration will take a closer look at the contract.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.

District surveys Arundel (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:03:00 GMT

By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

Arundel parents of students in kindergarten through 12th grade recently received a survey from RSU 21 that may help shape the relationship between the district and Thornton Academy Middle School.

School Board Member and Finance Committee Chairman John Sharood has said the proposed budget cuts can’t be sustained and the district needs to look at long-term solutions.

A few of Sharood’s long-term suggestions included closing a district school or eliminating the Thornton Academy Middle School contract.

Arundel students bused to Thornton Academy contribute to most of the district’s out-of-district tuition costs. It is the second largest line item after personnel. The district pays $1.1 million to bus Arundel students to Thornton Academy Middle School, and another $1.2 million is paid for Arundel high school students to attend Thornton Academy.

The district’s survey has 15 questions for parents with children that attend middle school or high school at Thornton Academy or district schools.

The survey includes a brief history of the Thornton Academy contract. The survey states the district would save $800,000 a year if the contract was eliminated. Arundel parents are asked which middle school they would like their children to attend and to specify the strength of their preference. Parents are also asked in the survey to rate overall satisfaction with their current school.

A second section of the survey focuses on the Thornton Academy Middle School agreement. It asks parents which school they want their children to attend and their reasons for choosing that school.

The survey asks parents whether they want the Thornton Academy Middle School/Arundel contract to expire as planned in 2016, to renegotiate the contract in June 2011 and continue past the 2016 expiration, or terminate the contract before the end date if Arundel students have the choice to go to either Thornton Academy Middle School or Middle School of the Kennebunks.

In 2006, Arundel signed a 10-year contract with Thornton Academy Middle School to provide education to all middle school students.

Two years later, Arundel residents voted 2-to-1 to join Kennebunk and Kennebunkport in a regional school unit as part of Maine’s Department of Education school consolidation efforts.

In the first year of the new district, some Arundel residents have expressed concern over losing the contract and rumors their children could be forced to attend district schools.

Arundel parents were given a variety of ways to reply to the survey, including online or through the mail. If a response from a family is not received, the team in charge of the survey will call the resident to ensure it heard from as many households as possible.

RSU 21 Superintendent Andrew Dolloff said the results of the survey should be available by Monday’s school board meeting.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.

Steep learning curve for robotics team (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:37:00 GMT

By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

With 3,000 onlookers, 10 high school students took center stage to compete with their brains against 48 other teams, and left the brawns to their creations.

More than half the students at The New School in Kennebunk took to the field in Manchester, N.H., last week to play robot soccer.

Orwell, the robot, won five matches, lost four and tied one, ending with a winning record, but was not placed in the standings. However, the team did receive the “judges’ award” for their efforts.

“They called us the ‘little engine that can,’” said Ross Kearney, robotics team adviser and part-time teacher at the school.

This is the school’s second year at a For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST, competition. The small independent school faced bigger teams from South Portland, Bonny Eagle and other schools with corporate sponsorships.

Ten high school students from The New School have been working around the clock for six weeks to build the robot with Kearney and other adult mentors.

Senior Sara Wilson joined the club after she went to watch the school compete last year. “They were doing really cool stuff and I wanted to be more knowledgeable,” she said.

Sophomore Rhiannon Alexander is also new and the only other girl on the team. Kearney said there’s a big push in the science field to get more girls involved in the program.

It’s not just girls that science and math fields are having problems recruiting.

“They’re trying to put scientists and engineers on the same level as sports stars,” Kearney said.

Over the weekend, the robots and the engineers were transformed into sports stars as each robot attempted to take a 10-second spin around the floor without human help, play 10 games of three-versus-three soccer and lift itself up 20 inches with another robot attached, six out of 10 times.

“We (The New School) don’t have sports teams, this is our sports team,” Alexander. said.

Robot soccer was played on an indoor field divided into sections of three, with a red side and a blue side. Teams of robots changed throughout the competition so no one team could dominate. Student engineers stood outside the field, controlling their robots to move over the sections, hoard or move the balls closer to the goals and kick them inside the opposing team’s goal.

William Eaton, a freshman, was this year’s robot driver. Eaton was one of four students on last year’s team.

Not only did Eaton guide the robot around with a joystick during the game, he was one of the robot’s primary builders and put in hours after school and over vacation.

Last year, The New School team had only four kids and built a basic wooden block robot with very few movable parts, but this year the 120-pound robot had kicking capabilities and a mechanical arm.

Cody Eaton, older brother of William Eaton, was one of the main designers and team captain. Cody Eaton explained the robot’s piston-driven mallet for kicking the ball and mechanical scissor arm.

Cody Eaton has worked on tractors and learned a few things from his Kennebunk neighbor who helped by volunteering his time, ideas and work space – on an Alpaca farm – to the students.

“This year’s robot is much more advanced, we pushed our knowledge,” Kearney said.

They also pushed their budget.

The school was unable to find local sponsors for this year’s event. Registration was $5,000 and up to $3,500 can be spent on the robot. The teams also have to pay for hotels, food and transportation costs.

Fortunately, for a second year in a row, BAE Systems, one of the main sponsors for the FIRST competition, donated the registration fee and an extra $1,000 for the robot.

“They didn’t want to disappoint 10 kids, it was really great of them,” Kearney said.

Kearney and other students chipped in additional money to build their robot.

Next year Kearney said the team plans to compete again and already is trying to get in contact with new sponsors to build an even more advanced robot for next year’s competition.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.

Revenues up, governor releases school funds (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:34:00 GMT

By David Harry

Staff Writer

After RSU 21 School Board sent Superintendent Andrew Dolloff back to the budget drawing board last week, Gov.John Baldacci may have given him a better pencil to use.

Last Thursday, Dolloff learned the district, comprised of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel, was in line to receive about $451,000 more than anticipated in state education subsidies.

Districts throughout the state became the beneficiaries of revised revenue forecasts by state officials and more federal Medicaid money, Baldacci announced last week. The revenue forecasts add $50.9 million and $27.8 million more in Medicaid money is available, Baldacci said in a press release last week.

The extra money allows Baldacci to restore $37 million in health and human services aid and $20 million in education aid for K-12 students, he said. Changes must also be approved by the Legislature.

Dolloff said it was up to the board to decide how the restoration of aid will affect the budget. It could be used to offset the $1.2 million reduction scenario requested after the board found a budget that called for $1.8 million less in spending too severe.

At a reduction of $1.2 million, Dolloff said a couple dozen jobs could still be lost and program reductions will also occur. The partial restoration of state aid means the district will see $1.4 million less as opposed to $1.9 million less for fiscal year 2011.

Dolloff said the revised state numbers are accompanied by board revisions to the budget that have amended proposed reductions in spending from $2.6 million less to $1.8 million to $1.2 million less Dolloff will present Monday night.

Budget documents drafted by the board call for spending reduction over the next two years before a $785,000 increase for the 2013 fiscal year.

RSU 21 also lost $883,000 in state subsidies for the current year in a curtailment ordered by Baldacci to balance the current state budget. The restored state subsidies do not affect the current budget, Baldacci said.

If the news of restored subsidies are relatively good news, Department of Education Director of Finance and Operations Jim Rier cautioned the fiscal year 2012 outlook could still be bleak because federal stimulus funds will not be available.

Rier said the restored funds surprised him after revenue forecasts had come up short over the least couple of years.

“I would have thought it was getting worse. But as concerned as we are with 2011, we are more concerned about 2012,” Rier said.

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219

Bank taps YouTube for annual effort (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:28:00 GMT

By Suzanne Hodgson

Staff Writer

For 16 years Kennebunk residents have paid close attention to how well Kennebunk Savings Bank is doing.

The bank gives 10 percent of its earnings, or $400,000 to various charitable organizations in its Community Investment Program, with $80,000 going back into the hands of bank customers who decide where it will be donated.

Each year the 15 branches of the local bank hold a Community Investment Program ballot vote for customers to choose their favorite charities, and the money is allocated to all the charities, based on number of votes received.

This year charities are able to market themselves online by uploading YouTube videos informing the public of what service the charity provides, or asking bank customers for their votes on this year’s ballot.

York County Shelter uploaded a picture slideshow of how their volunteers have helped the community over the years and services the shelter provides. The Center for Wildlife’s video featured a white hedgehog dancing to the C+C Music Factory classic hit “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).”

Brad Paige, Kennebunk Savings president said since the beginning of the charity program, the bank has donated $6 million throughout southern Maine.

In 2009 the bank had a record 7,200 votes for 220 charities. With almost 10 percent of all votes, the Animal Welfare Society received $7,865 from the bank.

“We’ve been fortunate enough people love animals and care for animals,” said Steven Jacobsen, executive director for the Animal Welfare Society.

Jacobsen said the checks always seem to come at a good time of year, around July and August when the shelter needs support.

“It gives us a real shot in the arm for cash flow,” Jacobsen said.

Animal Welfare Society has used the donation for animal food and medicine. Ties to Kennebunk Savings Bank go deeper than just receiving the yearly donation.

The bank’s insurance company, Kennebunk Savings Insurance, also invests money in Animal Welfare Society’s annual Strut Your Mutt Walk at Mother’s Beach in Kennebunk.

Kennebunk Savings Insurance underwrites the event; so all of the money raised goes to shelter expenses. Last year the shelter made $50,000 from the Strut Your Mutt Walk.

Paige said that many of the nonprofits that receive donations have ties to the bank in some way, including bank employees who volunteer at the charities.

Videos can be viewed at www.youtube.com/MakeYourCase.

Voting is open to all bank customers. Nonprofit organizations from all over southern Maine were able to put their names on the ballot, but cannot vote.

Deadline for voting is April 30, and charities will begin to see donations arrive in July or August.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.

Letter: "School choice policy denies contract intent" (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:26:00 GMT

To the editor:

The RSU 21 school board acted irresponsibly by taking action in regard to middle school choice, after being warned by its superintendent its action would be in violation of the Thornton Academy contract.

The school board voted 9-2 in favor of allowing middle school choice for Arundel students. Superintendent Andrew Dolloff told the board that RSU 21 attorneys stated a judge would rule in Thornton Academy’s favor if Thornton Academy’s position and the intent of those who negotiated the contract was that all Arundel middle school students attend Thornton Academy.

I stated twice during the March 1 meeting that as a member of the negotiating team for Arundel the intent of the contract was clear. This discussion had also taken place during the planning process before RSU 21 took over last July.

During conversations regarding school choice as it applied to the consolidation law, school board Chairman Maureen King was adamant that Arundel have high school choice but not middle school choice.

Currently, King’s position is that if the board’s position creates a lawsuit, we will just have to deal with it. Lawsuits are not unfamiliar to the former SAD 71 school district and now Arundel is being dragged in. How can this possibly be in the students’ best interest?

The policy, as written, clearly was designed to circumvent the contract and the affirmation vote shows the intent of the school board to ignore the contract. This action also violates the school consolidation law that mandates all existing contracts be honored.

If Thornton Academy moves forward with a lawsuit the RSU 21 school board will incur legal fees to fight what it was told is a losing battle and would probably be forced to cover Thornton’s costs as well. Not a very good use of school funds as we battle with budget cuts and tax increases.

Jon Renell

Arundel

Letter: "Town should fight for beach rights" (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:39:00 GMT

To the editor:

Twenty-five beachfront property owners claim the right to exclude the general public from Goose Rocks Beach. They named as defendants the town of Kennebunkport and “all persons who are unascertained…who claim the right to use” the beach, thus everyone is a potential defendant.

In his letter to the editor (Lawsuit will waste money,” March 5, page 11), Bill Case presents himself as the voice of reason, suggesting litigation costs have to be considered in light of the proposed cuts to the school budget. They are separate issues, but related when you think outside the box.

Is Case biased in any way regarding the litigation? He acknowledges that he was a plaintiff in the Moody Beach litigation. The Maine Supreme Court in that 1989 lawsuit ruled beachfront property owners could exclude the public from the beach in front of their properties. Recreation, according to the court, was not a right retained by the public.

There are reasons to believe that decision can be reversed. In the Moody Beach litigation, Case championed the cause of the beachfront property owners. Even a quick reading of his current letter puts him in the same place regarding the Goose Rocks litigation. That is not a neutral voice of reason.

He suggests the town recognize private ownership and then rely on good will to permit public use for recreation. Probably, most of those plaintiffs have no intention of excluding the public from the beach; they merely want the town to address some issues of use. However, the spokesmen for the plaintiffs have articulated demands the town can never accept. They say if the town accedes to their demands then the beachfront property owners “might” permit the public to “walk” on the beach.

These spokesmen are seeking dominion over the beach and the right to arbitrarily decide if the public can use it. The issue is too important to defer to the whims of a few people who wish to establish a beachfront aristocracy.

Case does not aim his argument at the plaintiffs but at the town and other defendants and challenges them to capitulate in the name of fiscal responsibility. If he believes it is irresponsible in today’s economy to spend money on Goose Rocks litigation, then he needs to tell the plaintiffs to drop their divisive litigation

Richard Driver

Kennebunkport

Letter: Say ‘no’ to expansion (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:33:00 GMT

To the editor:

Bentley’s Saloon has approached the town of Arundel to increase its occupancy from 180 to more than 700.

In November 2009, I circulated a petition that was signed by 300 Kennebunk residents who believe quality of life has been significantly compromised by the great number of excessively loud motorcycles coming through our town and asked Arundel town officials to deny Bentley’s Saloon mass gathering permits and any requests for expanded occupancy.

I am urging planning board members to deny the request. The number of loud motorcycles coming through Kennebunk is already a nightmare. I shudder to think of the impact of more motorcycles assaulting our town with their loud pipes.

I believe the planning board members have a social responsibility to deny the operation of businesses that have a negative impact on the emotional and physical well-being of neighboring residents.

The World Health Organization recognizes excessive noise as a serious health hazard as opposed to a mere nuisance and maintains excessive noise can cause cardiovascular and psycho-physiological effects.

Indeed, many Kennebunk residents have complained about stress and anguish caused by exposure to excessive motorcycle noise. There have been accounts of anxiety, sleep deprivation, elevated blood pressure and depression.

In addition to noise issues, there is also the concern of air pollution. The American Lung Association of Maine is supporting a motorcycle noise bill currently being considered by the Legislature because “tampering with exhaust systems usually results in significant increases in pollution.”

I question the frequent granting of mass gathering permits. I consider a mass gathering permit as something to be used once or twice a year for very special occasions, not every weekend.

The Arundel-Kennebunk area used to be a quiet, pleasant place. Now it’s a noise nightmare. I hope planning board members will do the right thing and help restore peace to our community.

Claire Unsinn

Kennebunk

Letter: Meet the candidates (Printed March 12, 2010)

Post Editor — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:30:00 GMT

To the editor:

Bode Miller and Apolo Ohno are but memories and Dice-K is a month away. What’s a Mainer to do between seasons? How about attending the most exciting program in the state, candidates night. Hear all six Democratic candidates for governor speak Friday, March 26, at Kennebunk Town Hall Auditorium.

Social hour and refreshments begin at 6 p.m. and candidates will speak at 7 p.m. Prepare for the June 8 primary. Save the date and bring a friend. For more information, call 967-8302 or 967-8144.

Diane Denk, chairman, Kennebunk Democratic Town Committee

Peter Fellenz, chairman, Kennebunkport Democratic Town Committee