Dear Editor:

People in Wiscasset who are upset with the School Department should not get upset with Jay McIntire.

He works for and is controlled by the School Board. Even though he is required to get up and speak about the budget at public meetings he is not the person who adopted the budget.

Please place the blame where it belongs.

George Greene

Wiscasset

Dear Editor:

I have recently heard a rumor regarding a grassroots movement to close the Wiscasset Community Center Building. I went to the director to find the budget breakdown to see if this would benefit the town in any way. What I found out is that it would not save the town any money to close the building, as I will show later in this letter.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have been a member and volunteer at WCC from the start. I also fill in at the front desk occasionally when the regulars are on vacation, etc. I am a 35-year Wiscasset resident and have been here through good times and bad, for richer for poorer.

Todd Souza (Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Director) has broken the budget down into:

• Parks - mowing and maintaining the waterfront, town office grounds, ball fields

• Recreation programs - after school care, youth sports programs, summer camps (supported ever since I have been here and probably before)

• Senior Center support - building and staff support that help the senior citizens group that has a room in the building

• The Wiscasset Community Center building itself

It turns out that the building pays for itself with memberships and fees.

The Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Department is asking for fewer tax dollars now than before the community center was open. Closing the building doesn't benefit the taxpayers in any way. The building, in fact, brings out of town members to the area. They exercise, swim, or take a class and many of them stay in town for lunch or to pick up bread, milk, etc.

The recreation piece of the budget is money the town will still need to run these programs. The same is true for the ball field and other grounds maintenance.

The benefits of the Wiscasset Community Center are many and for all ages. The number of kids that use the building on a daily basis is amazing. Many more would if they could. I have been there after school when they come streaming in for after school care, swimming classes, free swim, swim team, gymnastics, karate, gym time and just to be there with their friends. It's hectic, but what better place for kids to want to be?

The senior citizens have many activities, both structured and casual times just to be there with others. They use the building many hours each week. And the best part is all ages are in the building together, making it truly a community center.

I am not going to try to put all the numbers Todd showed me in this letter. I will only say that if you have any questions, call or go see the team at the community center. They are a dedicated group of people. They care about the welfare of the kids and go above and beyond.

They will bend over backwards to make the out-of-the-ordinary work for you, if there's any possible way. They have a scholarship fund (funded by donations and fund raisers) for people who need to be able to use the facility but can't afford it.

And after having spoken with Todd several times recently about this, I can tell you there is no one more concerned about being fiscally responsible with town funds as well as the overall welfare of the town in which he has chosen to live and raise his family.

Joan Bickford

Wiscasset

Dear Editor:

The untimely passing of much-loved local legend Al "Red" Gagnon has forever changed the landscape of the well-traveled stretch of Route 1 that winds its way through Wiscasset in ways that simple-minded people will never understand.

It's true the lobster rolls served at "Red's" are beyond comparison but that's not why so many have come to mid-coast Maine's world-renowned roadside stand. It's because Al and his family have always made it their business to make your visit with them, not just your meal, a most memorable experience.

So it's not difficult to imagine how absolutely stunned I was by the letter to the editor (June 26) written by Ginny Conn. I am appalled by Ms. Conn's absence of consideration and respect for Mr. Gagnon's family and friends and the total ignorance she has demonstrated at this sorrowful time.

She wrote that "Red's" has "brought traffic to a standstill in the summer." This is sheer stupidity. I just drove through Wiscasset this morning before Red's was even open, as I have done countless times, and guess what? Traffic was at a standstill. Does Ms. Conn know the speed limit is 25 miles per hour, there are railroad tracks to cross, and ideally, traffic passing through the main thoroughfares of most towns and villages should move very slowly and safely as people go about their business. When we are talking about Wiscasset, who isn't slowing down to steal a peek at the delightful homes and darling shops that decorate the main street? Just about everyone, according to Officer Willy Simmons of the Wiscasset Police Department.

"It's the whole town," Officer explains. "It's not because of Red's Eats. Whether Red's is sitting there or not, we are going to have a lot of traffic slowing down as they come through here. It's just the businesses in general."

Ms. Conn is Ms. Informed.

It's not intelligent to initiate a battle of words with absolutely no ammunition.

Red's should not move.

Ms. Conn should.

Sharon Grant

Boothbay Harbor

Dear Editor:

Usually I do not respond to comments about the Wiscasset School Board in the paper; however, last week's edition of "Tell it to George" has prompted me to do so.

I would like to make it clear that the following is solely my own opinion and does not reflect the views of the School Board or the School Department.

The letter I am responding to noted that the Board "flunked" by sending back the same budget for a second vote. I agree.

On June 5, the Wiscasset Newspaper published an article stating that not only did I oppose sending the same budget back, I said it was "almost stupid." If the comments are indeed implying that the Board is unintelligent, including the member that "attends a $50,000 a year university" (that's me), I suggest the author reconsider their statement.

I was given a proper education by the Wiscasset School System, which is the reason I am able to attend an incredible $48,500 a year college. Not only is the author questioning the intelligence of the School Board, they are criticizing the tremendous school system that this town pays for, which is disconcerting to me as a Board member, a former student, and a resident of Wiscasset.

Sincerely,

Sarah Whitfield

Wiscasset

Dear Editor:

Well, we turned down the school budget again and it sounds like they still don't get the message.

The Times Record quoted a member of the School Board as saying, "I don't know what's going on" and, "I don't know where they want us to cut."

What's going on is the people are sick of the excessive cost of our school system and we want the bottom line cut. The taxpayers are not going to tell the board whether they should cut pencils, books, administration, salaries, benefits, teachers, aids or whatever. That's the board's job. As George Flanders always said, tell us the bottom line, and we will decide how to spend it.

The board member also said "There's too much apathy in this town." Well, "apathy" means "indifference" and in my book when the number of taxpayers showing up to vote on an issue increases, that's not apathy.

Another remark made was that people don't show up at town meeting. My guess is they don't show up because they're sick of listening to excuses for the excessive spending. The cuts proposed at meetings don't get passed because of the ratio of people attending that are on the school payroll. I give them credit; they do show up and cast their votes. I too wish more people came to the meetings.

If the board really wants to get this over with, here are some ideas for them:

• Cut $342,129 from the budget which puts it back to last year's budget. That will still give them at least $375,000 more than they actually used last year and still put us $1.5 million over EPS. Fair? Maybe.

• Compare the budget with the state's EPS and identify specific areas where we have excessive spending.

• If the excessive spending is in salaries for example, freeze them at the next negotiations. If that's not possible, institute a two-tier wage system where new employees are on a different pay scale.

• If the excessive spending is in benefits, negotiate something more in line with other towns. For the public's information, what the town pays and what the teachers pay for insurance starting July 1, 2008 is shown below. How does that compare with what you pay for health and dental?

• If the problem is with administration, cut the overhead even if it's unpleasant.

• If it's with teacher pupil ratios, cut some teachers etc, etc, etc

• Above all, they should be open with the taxpayers about their findings.

The first time around, 15 percent of us voted. This second time, 19 percent of us voted. If we want to be successful and get our message to the board, we have to keep turning up to vote. This next time, let's all bring a friend to the polls.

Yes, I'm sorry to say, we have to do it all over again. Let's hope the third time the number is something more reasonable.

The next school budget town meeting is on July 14 and the next voting day is July 22. We've got to be persistent and vote again if we want to get the message across.

Dick Grondin

Wiscasset