Letters to the Editor
Thanks from VFW Post 6977
Dear Independent,The Veterans' Day Raffle at VFW Post 6977, York Beach, results are:
Picture of Nubble Lighthouse-Rusty Wicker. Picture of Nubble Lighthouse-M. H. Carter. Irving Gas $100 Certificate-J. Bridges. Proulx Oil $100 Certificate-Gloria Layman. $25 Hannaford's Gift Certificate-Connie Barber. $25 Hannaford's Gift Certificate-William Kurts. Cribbage Boards by Arthur O'Hale-Kevin Kerrigan, Mark Stevens and B. S. Sauer. Painted Slate by Scott Thomas-James Welch. Hand-carved Eagle by Mike Dow-Senior Center at Moody.
This donation raffle proceeds was for the support of troops in Iraq. VFW Post 6977 York Beach thanks all the generous donations in the Seacoast area.
Dick Filliettaz
Service Officer
Support for Matt Graham
Dear Independent,The politicking issues are in the past. Now we need to get down to local issues. All of a sudden it seems there are many again here in York or maybe some just never went away.
I watch the selectmen's, Appeals Board, and Planning Board meetings faithfully. Yes, I was watching the selectmen's meeting of Nov. 6, 2006.
Let me say I was dismayed to hear what Matt Graham had to say while he stood at the podium. He said he had turned in to you, the York Town Manager and I assume the York Selectmen, 200 papers documenting issues that seem to do with town officials and the highway department.
February 2006: Matt Graham taken ill. In late June, Matt retires or resigns. It is now November 2006 and this issue just now comes to light and sounds like nothing has been done. What's the hold up?
It reminds me of some years back, like in the mid 1980s. There was a similar situation in town and that person ended up contacting the Labor Relations Board and winning the case.
I can remember Matt when he was a young boy and used to be in Marshall's Hardware Store with his grandfather "Nat." He could hardly see over the counter, but he probably knew as much about the business as his grandfather.
Some of us in York thought Matt was a very dedicated town employee. He took the job to heart and gave his all. What happened?
The taxpayers of this town pay the bills: let us all back Matt Graham until his issues are resolved. This issue has gone on way too long. What's the hold up?
Do the York town officials want to see Matt's issues go to court and cost the taxpayers more money? Let's settle this issue quickly and fairly.
In case anyone is wondering, I was a union steward years ago. The Matt Graham issue should have been dealt with long before this and resolved - not put on a back burner.
Anna J. Woodward
York
Residents thank YBFD
Dear Independent,My wife and I would like to express publicly our thanks to Capt. Mark Gay and the firefighters of the York Beach Fire Station for their prompt response Saturday night, Nov 18, to a chimney fire at our home in Cape Neddick.
The speed and professionalism of their response and the thoroughness with which they addressed the problem averted what could have been a disastrous situation. It's a comfort to know they are there every day and night of the year to respond so readily to emergency calls.
Once again, we extend to them our sincerest appreciation.
Paul J. and Nancy G. Mann
Cape Neddick
CEO, planner wrong about permit
Dear Independent,After reading about the planner and CEO's discombobulated musings about the Shoreland Use Permit process vis-à-vis the Atlantic House/Union Bluff construction project along Beach Street in York Beach, one cannot help but come to the conclusion that the inmates are in charge of the asylum. That can be the only conclusion based upon their jaundiced version of events, which appear to be based upon a patently false premise.
First and foremost among these blatantly species gems of wisdom, is the preposterous assertion by the planner that somehow the Planning Board's "findings of fact" includes the granting of a Shoreland Use Permit. A quick phone call to the chairman of the Planning Board, Glen MacWilliams, immediately skewered that absurd statement, when he explained that the Planning Board has no statutory or regulatory power to grant or issue Shoreland Use Permits. Furthermore, he noted Planning Board "approval" of a project is usually issued with the caveat that the necessary "permits" to initiate the approved project in question; i.e., building permit, plumbing and electrical permits, road opening permits, Shoreland Use Permits, Natural Resource Protection Act Use Permit, Wetlands Use Permit, etc., where applicable, must be secured from the relevant permitting agency before actual construction can proceed.
If one should accidentally stumble upon page 66, Town of York Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 4.1 Schedule of Regulations, 4.1.3 Shoreland Overlay District, one would be dumbstruck to learn that "filling or other earth moving activity of less than 10 cubic yards and more than 10 cubic yards…" requires a Shoreland Permit from the CEO. Of course, neither the planner nor the CEO realized that this has only been a mandatory state and town requirement since May 9, 1992, a mere 14 years.
Again it's reassuring to the public to hear the constant plaintive wail from Town Hall about the operations of the CEO's office as "over-worked and under-manned." This red herring has taken on a life of its own, similar to Aesop's fairy tale about the little CEO who cried wolf. Well at least the new town manager has leaped into the fray by concluding that based upon up-to-date intelligence the local permit was in place. I would pose to the incumbent town manager this pearl of wisdom from the old sage of the west, Yosemite Sam, the Looney Tunes cartoon character, "Doc, you've been hornswoggled."
But don't worry fellow citizens, even though the largest construction project in York Beach since the building of the railroad in the 1880s managed to sneak by the snoozing CEO, while a dastardly illegal sign, concealed in an alcove/hallway in a building, would/could result in a substantial fine. Just think, if George W. Bush had the CEO working for him, he would have nabbed Osama by now, especially if Osama had an illegal sign hidden in his cave.
Ron Nowell
York
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