Ride along with York Police
Dear Independent,
On Saturday, Aug. 15, I had the opportunity to ride along with the York Police on a sobriety checkpoint task force. We met in the briefing room at 8:45 p.m. to discuss the night's activity. Sgt. Thomas Baran, the officer in charge, conducted the briefing. The plan was to use nine officers and six patrol cars to stop traffic in both directions at two locations on this patrol. The first was in front of the old library and the other on the spur road.
The first one was set up by 9:45 p.m. with four officers on each side of the road to check cars and have a vehicle available in both directions to check on cars that turned around rather than coming through the checkpoint. One officer would direct every third car into the checkpoint, two officers would do the check and the fourth would record the activity. This checkpoint was moved at 11:45 p.m. to the spur road, which was set up in the same manner. The detail returned to the police station at 2:40 a.m.
I must mention that the York Fire Department provided their emergency lighting equipment to assist in the safe operation of the detail. A special thanks goes to Fred Ricker, who volunteered to operate the equipment.
Everything went as planned and the results for the evening were pleasantly surprising. Out of 307 stops there was one arrest for operating under the influence and one for possession of drugs. It appears these advertised checks are working, causing more people to use designated drivers and control their drinking. There were warnings issued for things such as seatbelts and mufflers.
Every time I ride with the fine young officers on our local police force I am impressed with their professional manner. They are always very polite in tough situations. I want to remind you of the cooperation of the fire department and York Ambulance. We are extremely lucky to have so many devoted young men and women working and volunteering in our town. Some citizens thanked the officers for having the checkpoint, knowing it was for the safety of everyone.
Windol Weaver
State Representative
District 150, York
MTA has not gone away
Dear Independent,
When circulating around the town of York and surrounding communities speaking to neighbors, permanent residents, summer residents, shop owners and tourists alike, the general consensus seems to be that the MTA has abandoned plans to relocate the current toll plaza.
It could be the lack of articles in the news or the statement that the MTA made, stating that they were putting plans on hold because of a considerable loss of toll revenues.
Please do not be lulled into a state of complacency because the MTA has no plans to scrap their ill-conceived plan to move the current site to one of four sites within four miles north of the present site at a cost of $40 million-plus - a plan which would not only create havoc for abutters, York's water supply and the ecology surrounding the area, but would be obsolete with the soon-to-come electronic technology.
For more information, please visit http://www.thinkagain2008.com/ or you can visit the ThinkAgain booth at the Farmers Market at the Chamber of Commerce on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., where volunteers will be more than glad to try to answer your questions.
Lou Potvin
York
Protecting our children
Dear Independent,
I read, with great dismay, The York Independent article, "Police seek public's help in case of possible attempted abduction." The good news is that the teenager escaped the hands of a probable predator. Even better news, the young lady immediately reported the incident to the proper authorities. By doing so, our antennae are up. Therefore, the man may be eventually apprehended and punished accordingly. Furthermore, another young life may not have to experience that same type of horror.
My purpose in writing is that I wanted to inform the public that there are personal body safety programs that aim to prevent violence attempted upon our community's children, teens and women. For younger children, preschool to age 11, there is an educational program entitled radKIDS, www.radkids.org. For teens and women, there is a program called, RAD Women, www.rad-systems.com. Both programs teach critical life skills.
The programs do not guarantee that the attendee will never be tricked or victimized. Instead, it will teach you how to act if you should become the target of an abuser, a predator - even a bully. But, as we all know, most abusers and predators groom their prey. Most often, the "perps" and the bullies are well known to the target. The target is groomed, over time, to trust the perpetrator. Once that trust has been earned, the "perp" takes the opportunity to victimize the innocent. The spectrum of violence, by the way, can range from inappropriate touch to verbal harassment and is not just limited to physical assault.
Unfortunately, in our country, being a victim of abuse or of a bully is commonplace. Statistics show that one in two women will experience some form of violence in their lifetime; one in two.
However, knowing that the fault falls on the perpetrator's shoulders and not the victim allows for the victim to become a survivor; an empowered voice that has been given permission to go to officials who can make a difference. In the end, the victim does not own the responsibility of the abuse or the assault - the predator should. That empowered victim is now a survivor.
Suzanne Cyr
York
Celebrate Constitution Week
Dear Independent,
Did you know that our U.S. Constitution will celebrate its 221st anniversary on Sept. 17, 2008? In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was completed and ratified by five of the 13 states.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts called a Constitutional Convention in 1788. The town of York elected and instructed its two delegates, Esaias Preble and Nathaniel Barrell, to oppose ratification. Esaias Preble opposed ratification but Nathaniel Barrell was swayed to vote in favor of the constitution. He was not tarred and feathered upon his return! Esaias is buried in the Old Burying Yard in York Village and Nathaniel Barrell is buried in the Barrell Cemetery 143 on Beech Ridge Road.
This great document is the oldest Constitution still in active use in the world today! It protects the individual liberties of all citizens through liberties of all citizens through written law. Study the Constitution to learn of your rights.
Constitution Week was started by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) with a petition to the U.S. Congress in 1935 to set aside the week of Sept. 17 to 23 to celebrate and observe the U.S. Constitution. On Aug. 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law.
It is each and everyone's responsibility to protect, to defend and to preserve the U.S. Constitution! Come to the Museums of Old York and Old York Chapter DAR with a bell to Gaol Hill and join in our bell ringing celebration with a reading of the preamble to the Constitution on Gaol Hill at 5 p.m. on Sept. 17. Colonial costume is encouraged.
Virginia Spiller
Old York Chapter
DAR
Right move for workforce housing
Dear Independent,
After more than a decade of trying to get a workforce housing plan through the Board of Selectmen, the people of York will finally get to vote.
In answer to Mr. Stacey's remark at the Board of Selectmen's meeting of Aug. 18, any contractor, individual, group, or anyone who owns land in the Growth Zone or elsewhere, can build (and manage if they so desire) homes for sale or rent by following the guidelines of this ordinance. It is not restrictive, does not discriminate, and is not limited to any single entity.
Mr. Marshall's statement about densities in neighborhoods baffles me. As I stated at the selectmen's meeting, lot coverage can be only what is already allowed in that specific zone or 25% coverage, whichever is less restrictive. This includes buildings, driveways, and any other impervious surfaces. Anyone who looks at various neighborhoods in the Growth Zone will find this ordinance is far more restrictive than what has already been built over the years.
I look at my own neighborhood, which I cherish as a throwback to my childhood, and see homes on small lots on one of the oldest streets in York - Barrell Lane - exactly what our Comprehensive Plan calls for: diversity.
In York Village, just up the street and abutting our Town Hall, is an apartment building with seven units in a 4,800-square-foot building on three-quarters of an acre.
On Woodbridge Road there are many multi-family homes on less than one-third of an acre and an eight-condominium building on less than two-thirds of an acre.
On Freeman Street, there is one condominium building with four units on one-sixth of an acre and one condominium building with four units on less than one-fifth of an acre.
And on and on.
Because this ordinance is far more restrictive, workforce housing would not be allowed since the minimum land required is three-quarters of an acre and, even if it was allowed, the density would be too great for this ordinance, so don't let the fear factor espoused by two member of the Board of Selectmen get to you. What we have is York, the way life should be, has been - and can be preserved, if we pass this ordinance in November.
Respectfully submitted,
Ted Little
York
Walgreens plan is wrong one
Dear Independent,
What? Walgreens before the Planning Board again?
Do they think we should drop all our rules, regulations, for another pharmacy?
The wetlands there at the corner of Route 1 and 91 are flooded and we have to protect them to achieve proper runoff. The north side of Route 1 is already overbuilt on wetlands. Our town drainage system was never meant to carry even the current load. Think of the Patriots' Day storm! It can happen again.
Thin, too, of the vernal pool being there with the impact of a huge building - roads - truck vibrations - it will certainly be the death of all the local creatures that live there. The trees on that lovely corner at the crossroads will, no doubt, be sacrificed, leaving a brutal and harsh approach to York and imposing yet another traffic light, a probability.
Is this property for sale? Why can't we, the town of York, buy it an esthetically put the fire house there where it will benefit the town by its perfect location to protect our citizens north, south, east and west? Certainly the citizens in the abutting properties, Winterbrook and Orchard Farms, would feel more comfortable with protection so near at hand, rather than continuous noise and frustration.
The design of the building is of real importance, seeing the other pharmacy on that corner showed lack of consideration for a small-town design. We must keep true to our zoning laws.
Don't they understand we don't need another pharmacy and don't want another? Let's say it loud and clear: We don't want our zoning rules broken.
Cynthia H. Raymond
York
Federal proposal reason for concern
Dear Independent,
For many of us, cell phones have become a necessary component of everyday life, helping us do business, stay in touch with the people who matter most to us and call for help in emergencies.
Across the state of Maine, public safety officers like me depend on wireless service to respond quickly to emergency situations. We rely on cell phones to assist in search and rescue operations, address domestic violence situations, prevent criminal activity and communicate in areas where police radio is unsecure or unavailable.
That's why a recent proposal by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is so troubling to me - and potentially dangerous for rural Maine.
In smaller communities, wireless carriers cannot always justify the costs of building new cell towers. However, there is a federal program called the Universal Service Fund (USF) that helps build reliable communications networks in rural areas.
Unfortunately, the FCC placed a cap on the wireless portion of the USF earlier this year, and now proposes drastic cuts that could eliminate nearly half the support we now receive in Maine. Statewide, we could lose more than $6 million in annual USF support, and dozens of new cell sites would be cancelled or delayed every year.
We are fast becoming a wireless nation, but there is much work to be done in Maine to bring reliable cell phone networks to our rural areas. Cutting the USF for wireless is not a solution. Visit http://www.connectingruralamerica.org/ to learn more and take action.
Maurice Ouellette
York County Sheriff
Hospital benefit a success
Dear Independent,
On behalf of the Women's Committee for York Hospital, I would like to thank our patrons and sponsors for a very successful benefit on Aug. 7. I want to extend a very special thank you to Michael and Diane McGrath for offering us their beautiful home overlooking the Nubble Light for our annual dinner. This year's proceeds will help fund the purchase of multi-channel Urodynamic Testing Equipment, a diagnostic tool to be utilized by York Hospital's Urology and Urogynecology specialists.
We are grateful to the following businesses and friends who sponsored this year's event: Gold Sponsors Hannaford Charitable Foundation, The Haughey Company, Morgillo Financial Management and York Hospital Emergent Care Physicians; Silver Sponsor Kennebunk Savings Bank; Bronze Sponsor New England Coffee Company, and Table Sponsors Anneke Jans Restaurant, Carol Gronquist, Downeast Energy, Durgin Pines, Jack's Towing, The Ledges Golf Course, On the Marsh Restaurant, Sentry Hill, Team Wunder - RE/MAX Realty One, Vineyard Brands Wine, York Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics Center and York Trolley Company.
Thank you, also, to Charlie White, Joanne Dixon, Nick Papin, Don Clark, Justin Lewis, Jeff Thomson and Patrick Thomson, who volunteered their time to shuttle our guests to and from the party, and to Diane Peters, Arthur Leary and Alex DeGrechie for their help with parking.
To the Friendraising Office at York Hospital, a special thank you for making this year's event such a success.
Gretchen Ramsay
Co-Chair
Women's Committee
