The Lamoine Quarterly

(Lamoine) — The annual town meeting to elect municipal officers and set the town budget will take place on Tuesday March 2, 2004 and Wednesday March 3, 2004. Secret ballot elections take place on the 2nd from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM. The open town meeting will take place on the 3rd beginning at 6:00 PM at the Lamoine Consolidated School Gymnasium.

Four positions will be elected this year, including two School Committee members, a Selectman, and an Assessor. Currently holding the seats are School Committee members Lori Boynton and Faith Perkins, Selectman Thomas Spruce, and Assessor Jane Fowler.

To appear on the ballot, a candidate must gather the signatures from at least 25 registered voters and no more than 75 registered voters, and return the nomination petition to the Lamoine Town Clerk no later than 4:00 PM on January 16, 2004. The nomination petitions containing spaces for 50-signatures are available from the Lamoine Town Clerk during regular business hours.

The Selectmen have not finalized the town meeting warrant yet, but will do so during January and February in time for the March Town Meeting. Beside budget issues, there could be other town policy matters to decide. Check the town’s web-site or the town report for the final warrant posting.

(Lamoine) — A clear majority of voters at a special town meeting in November rejected proposed changes to the Building and Land Use Ordinance, partially because the town failed to properly notify some residents that certain activities might be allowed in the residential zone. Assessor Terry Towne pointed out at the meeting that the ordinance would have allowed the Planning Board to approve business and retail operations in the Residential Zone. They are currently prohibited, and state law requires that such changes be advertised to property owners through newspaper advertisements and first class mail prior to the hearing on the matter.

There were other objections to the proposed changes. Audience members questioned why the Planning Board wanted to change requirements from sheet rock wall coverings to other fire resistant coverings. Planning Board chair Perry Fowler said it was to get away from the requirement that people have only sheetrock walls which is how the ordinance currently reads. Others asked about changing the nuisance provisions, and whether running a lawn mower on Sundays could constitute a nuisance under the ordinance. The Board was not able to recall the reasoning behind that proposed change.

In the end, the ordinance proposals failed, believed mainly due to the notification problems. The Planning Board has proposed changes on two other occasions that were rejected due to inclusion of an aquifer protection zone. The latest version removed any reference to such a zone. The Board might propose a set of changes to the March 2003 town meeting in order to clarify some of the language in the ordinance which has proven confusing in the past few years.

A proposed Floodplain Management Ordinance received a warmer reception from voters. The ordinance passed with little debate or objection after it was defeated in a referendum vote in March 2003. The new ordinance replaces the outdated ordinance by the same name passed in 1991. State officials had urged towns to update their ordinances in order to have them remain effective. Planning Board Secretary Michael Garrett explained that without the updated ordinance, it might be nearly impossible for property owners in the Shoreland Zone to obtain flood insurance for mortgages. While the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance prohibits most building in the Flood Zone, some lenders require flood insurance in certain areas of town, even though the land might be well above the floodplain level.

The final ordinance change came to the Harbor Ordinance, and simply added a provision that if a mooring is for a lobster car, that Army Corps of Engineers approval must be applied for. Harbor Master William Pinkham explained that federal law requires such a permit, and the local ordinance will require those who wish to moor lobster cars off Lamoine Beach to show proof they’ve applied for the proper federal permit before the local mooring permit is granted.

Approximately 65 voters turned out for the special town meeting at the Lamoine School.

Lamoine) — The Lamoine Board of Appeals concluded that Code Enforcement Officer John Holdsworth acted properly when he issued a notice of violation to former Deputy CEO John Larson and order Mr. Larson to seek the proper permit or to remove the building from within 100-feet of the shore of the Skillings River. The Appeals Board voted unanimously in November to uphold the notice and order, and Mr. Larson moved the building within six days of the Appeals Board finding.

The ruling ends a long process that began in October 2002 when members of the Board of Assessors alleged that the building was improperly constructed. Mr. Larson initially contended that he repaired an existing building that sat in the same location which could feasibly be allowed under the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance. The Assessors produced a witness in the spring of 2003 who testified that the building in question was in fact a new structure, and Mr. Larson had removed the old structure in violation of the ordinance. In May 2003, Mr. Larson admitted he had removed the old building and built a new one. He immediately resigned as Deputy CEO.

The town issued a notice of violation to the Larsons in July of 2003 which was challenged as being defective because it failed to cite what section of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance the building violated. A new notice of violation was issued in September 2003, and the Larsons filed an appeal within the required 30-days.

The Board of Appeals listened to nearly 4-hours of testimony. Mr. Larson’s attorney claimed that former CEO Rebecca Albright had issued a valid building, Shoreland and floodplain permit for the building in question, and never revoked it. A key piece of evidence was a check returned by Ms. Albright to Mr. Larson with a note attached explaining that a permit was not needed if repairs were to be performed and the building was not being replaced. Neither the Larsons nor the town could produce the original application submitted for the repair, though the Larsons were able to produce the building permit originally issued for the repair.

The Board returned in early November and issued its findings of fact, saying that a permit was required from the Planning Board to replace the building, and none was obtained. The Larsons have since moved the building and applied for the building and Shoreland permits to set it back the proper distance from the shoreline. The Larsons also had a window to appeal the matter to Maine Superior Court. The Board of Selectmen voted in early December to authorize the Town Attorney to fine the Larson’s $1,000 for violation of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

(Lamoine) — When the referee’s whistle blew December 10th at the first home game of the season for the Lamoine Boys Basketball team, it ended the game, and quite probably home basketball games for some time. The gym floor condensed once again, causing players and officials to go slipping and sliding in all directions. The school committee instructed school officials to no longer play home games on the floor until such time as the problem can be fixed. Over the past few years the condensation problem has occurred with growing frequency, and school officials feel the situation is no longer safe and could cause the school to face serious liabilities.

School committee chair Tammy Dickey reports that alternate provisions are being made for the home games to be played on the courts of the visiting teams for the remainder of the season. Gene Kaler of the Bureau of General Services for the State of Maine visited the school in mid-December to assess the problem, and will work will principal Val Perkins to come up with options for the school committee to consider.

The condensation problem is one of many involving the gymnasium. Built in 1974 as part of the last major school renovation/addition, the gym sits on a concrete slab. In winter months, the floor under the playing surface freezes and causing pools of moisture to form on the playing surface, and the smooth tiles become wet and extremely slippery. The gym is also too small to accommodate much of a crowd for a basketball game. That becomes quite evident as fans try to squeeze together in chairs and the few bleacher seats which reach to the out of bonds marker on the court. Many parents end up waiting in the hallway and don’t get to adequately see their sons or daughters playing basketball.

Parking for sporting events and concerts has also become an issue. As the number of people attending such events grows, the parking area is the same as it was in 1974, or perhaps smaller. The fire department has repeatedly had problems with cars parking in front of the truck bays. Cars parking along Lamoine Beach Road significantly narrow the recently reconstructed highway. The annual town meeting is held at the gym, and seating can only accommodate about 200 people, or about 16% of the registered voters in Lamoine.

Besides the inconvenience to the winter sports programs, the change in venue for the ballgames will have an economic impact on students. The 8th grade traditionally sells concessions at the home games, making a fair amount of money for their class trip. The cheering squad which was originally supposed to cheer only at the home games will have to perform their routines on the road for this season. The school continues to explore renovation options.

(Lamoine) - An order by a case hearing officer hired by the State Department of Education requiring the Lamoine School Department to pay for an outdoor adventure school and a boarding school for a special needs student is being challenged in US District Court. Should the town have to pay for the program, it could cost taxpayers nearly $78,000.

The case was filed in November, but began in January when the unidentified child was identified as needing special education programs due to multiple needs, including depression. The child apparently had stopped taking medication and left high school. According to the suit, a pupil evaluation team (PET) met with the child’s mother and suggested a residential treatment program at KidsPeace in Ellsworth. The mother, identified only as “Ms. Z”, rejected the program suggested by the local PET and reported that she entered an agreement with an out-of-state consultant and enrolled the child at the adventure school in North Carolina and a boarding school in Utah. Neither facility is licensed for special education students under state or federal laws. Additionally, the mother has sought reimbursement for the out of state consultant.

The school committee, through its lawyer Eric Herlan, has asked the court to find that it offered an appropriate educational program for the child. The suit also requests that the Department of Education ruling handed down in October ordering reimbursement of the mother be vacated, and find that the Education Department and its officer violated federal laws by ordering the payment. So far the town has not paid either school anything pending the outcome of the suit. It is not yet known when the federal court system will hear the case.

(Lamoine) - Lamoine’s Selectmen voted not to proceed seeking proposals for use on the former Nate & Marti Anderson land. Several parties expressed a desire to use the land for commercial interests that do not require water. The town purchased the land with the help of the Maine DEP in December 2002 for $100,000 because leachate from the old landfill nearby polluted the water in the Anderson’s well. Selectmen asked the special town meeting in November whether voters wanted to give them permission to dispose of the land under the best terms for the town. Voters gave limited approval, saying any disposal option must receive final town meeting approval. Given the vote, the Board opted to hold onto the land for now instead of seeking proposals. Selectmen say they’re leery of disturbing anything more near the former landfill site for fear of problems years down the road.

Earlier this year the Selectmen sold the house on the property to Neil and Ralph Murphy and their wives, and the house was removed from the site in November, transported up the road, and placed on a new foundation on land the Murphys purchased on Buttermilk Road. A storage shed on the property has been moved to the Lamoine School. A garage remains on the land and is the property of the Murphys who intend to move it by next May. The foundation has been filled in with dirt.

(Lamoine) — Property owners with failing septic systems are urged to contact the town office as soon as possible as another round of state funding for systems has become available. The state small community grant program provides partial state funding to repair certain septic systems that pose a threat to water sources, and whose owners are declared income eligible. The deadline for the town to make application to the state is January 31st. Anyone interested should contact the town office no later than January 10, 2004.

The state has helped income-eligible families in Lamoine on several occasions in the past ten years replace failing systems. The town administers the program.

(Lamoine) — The town’s school building needs work—that’s no secret. How much work, and how to go about it are now under study, and the most serious problems that need correction will cost about $265,000 according to a report from the James W. Sewall Company. If all the problems noted are fixed, it will run nearly $370,000. The study does not address space needs in the gym.

Building Committee chair Bonnie Marckoon reported to the Selectmen that an architectural firm is putting together an application to the State Education Department for a building project in June.

Among the most serious needs are parking, traffic, play areas, ice buildup, the gym, an outdated intercom and alarm systems, replacing the water system with an on-site well, replacing doors and windows, and re-engineering the roof system to prevent condensation. Less serious deficiencies in the building include repairs to heating and ventilation, replacement of outdated lighting fixtures, and removing asbestos containing tile. More information will come in April, 2004.

(Lamoine) — Within days of the scheduled switchover date, subscribers to cable television services in Lamoine had the new channels at their remote control fingertips. The new system went on line in early December, dramatically increasing the number of channels offered to Adelphia customers from about 45 to 72. Digital cable services offer even more channels for those willing to pay the premium price.

The re-building came nearly 2-years after the town renewed its cable franchise agreement with Adelphia. The original cable system in Lamoine was installed in 1987 by United Video Cablevision, which was eventually purchased by Adelphia after an explosion of mergers in the cable market. Shortly after the franchise agreement was signed, Adelphia filed for bankruptcy after a corporate scandal landed the company’s founders in prison. While Adelphia remains in bankruptcy, it has been expanding cable operations in Hancock County, completing rebuilds in Hancock and Sullivan among other communities.

Crews from various companies manning trucks similar to the one shown at the right spent several weeks installing new fiber optic lines, amplifier boxes, and converting the nuts and bolts and other parts to the new system. Just as the Lamoine system was switched over, though, Adelphia announced it was closing its call center in Bangor. Operators to deal with system problems will be based out of state, but technicians are still locally based. Problems should be reported to Adelphia at 1-800-336-9988.

In addition to cable TV service, Adelphia is also providing high speed Internet access. The Lamoine Town Office was one of the first to be hooked up, and it’s working nicely, freeing up the telephone lines from the dial-up service. Many residents have sought high speed access for business purposes as they work from their homes. Sales representatives from the company report a brisk business installing the new cable modems to houses in town. The Internet service runs $42.95 per month.

(Lamoine) — Often problems create opportunities for growth, and solutions from unexpected sources. In the last edition of The Lamoine Quarterly we reported the company that hosts the town’s web page was no longer updating it. By the time the paper was printed, the web site was greatly enhanced thanks to help from computer guru Brett Jones. Now, it’s a lot easier to find thanks to Mr. Jones. His company, which designs and hosts other web pages on its computer servers, has donated web space for the town’s site. The new address will be www.lamoine-me.gov. The old website was hosted by Prexar LLC, but was limited to 5 Mb of space which greatly limited the amount of information that could be placed.

In addition to hosting services, Mr. Jones has given some basic web page training to Administrative Assistant Stu Marckoon, and those who’ve visited the site have given it good reviews. The web site has meeting schedules, minutes, applications and other items listed for town business. There is a site for the school, the fire department, and transfer station information. You can even read the latest Lamoine Quarterly on the site.

(Lamoine) — Failure to pay property taxes due in 2001 has resulted in the automatic foreclosure of three properties in Lamoine. One property, a parcel in the Ray Subdivision on Birchlawn Drive, was sold to a Surry couple in a tax foreclosure sale several years ago. Restrictions in the subdivision prevent the land from being developed for building purposes. The owners have contacted the town office and might exercise an option to purchase the parcel for all back taxes and penalties.

Another piece is a half interest in land off Lamoine Beach Road. The original owner has passed away, and her heirs have indicated they’re not interest in keeping their share. The final foreclosure was at a Mill Road home, and the Selectmen will work with the home owner so that he will be able to keep his residence.

(Lamoine) — Tax assessments will not be adjusted to reflect market values for next year, keeping Lamoine’s mill rate higher than it would be if all the properties in town were assessed at current market value. The town’s appraisal company, RJD Appraisal of Pittsfield, was not available to perform what’s called a factored revaluation before April 1, 2004. The Board of Selectmen, acting on the request of the Board of Assessors, approved an $18,000 contract with RJD to perform the service for April 1, 2005.

Like most other coastal communities, real estate sale prices have skyrocketed in Lamoine when compared to assessed values. The town was last re-valued in 1993, and at the time of revaluation, the tax rate fell from $18.50 per $1,000 valuation to $9.20 per $1,000. The mil rate for the current year is $14 per thousand.

Tracking real estate sales since April 1, 2003, it appears that properties are assessed at about 55% of the selling price. That figure varies greatly depending on the location of the property and is not as scientifically calculated as when the state performs its annual sales ratio audit of the town.

(Lamoine) — As Lamoine continues to grow at a steady pace, the impact on the landscape, the community, the local government and citizens in general is starting to be felt. The Lamoine Conservation Commission invited local experts to share their perspective on how other towns are handling growth, and to get some advice on what the town ought to focus on to meet future demands.

State Representative Ted Koffman of Bar Harbor offered the point of view from Augusta. He noted that migration has moved from urban to rural areas, something the state calls sprawl. Lamoine is a pretty good example of residential sprawl starting to arrive from the communities on Mt. Desert Island and Ellsworth. Additionally, some pressure is coming from more rural areas of Maine such as Washington and Aroostook Counties as people look for jobs and housing. He suggested that a comprehensive plan and ordinances are the tools to use to shape the growth of a community.

Planning Board Chairman Perry Fowler told the gathered audience how things have changed dramatically on the board in the past few years. The sheer number of applications and the details the board must deal with require long meetings, and the board has imposed a two week deadline for submissions to make the agenda. Fowler said the board is purely reactionary to permit applications at this point, with little time to devote to developing the ordinances to place before town meeting.

Bar Harbor’s town planner, Ann Kreig offered some perspective from the “next door neighbors”. She noted that they are also busy with subdivisions in rural areas, and said the quality and quantity of water in the aquifer is being stretched. She also noted that land values in Bar Harbor have skyrocketed.

Isabella Mancinelli of the College of the Atlantic presented some different perspectives on subdivisions. She noted that lots with long driveways are little different than strip development. She said it makes sense to offer a developer a cluster design to leave a larger common open space area with a view and trees. This might include shorter roads, less road frontage, shared septics. She suggested a density bonus in the number of lots allowed. She said sprawl creates high costs, has an environmental impact, and reduces public access to ocean water for fishing and recreation.

(Lamoine) — A Shoreland Zoning Permit ordered nearly a year ago by Lamoine’s Board of Appeals will go to public hearing in January. The owners of the Seal Point Lobster Pound were initially granted a permit by the Planning Board in December 2002, but that issuance was reversed by the Board of Appeals which ruled the Planning Board did not issue a sufficient finding of fact to support the permit. Additionally, the Appeals Board found the project also needed a Site Plan Review Permit. That was issued on September 15, 2003. An appeal of the issue was filed by abutting landowners in October, but the matter has yet to be scheduled for hearing by the Board of Appeals.

The owners of the lobster pound, Anthony & Josette Pettegrow, submitted a new Shoreland Zoning application in November, and the Planning Board found it substantially complete. A public hearing on the application was originally scheduled for the December Planning Board meeting, but was recessed when neither the Pettegrows’ lawyer nor the lawyer for the abutting landowners could attend. That hearing will continue at the January 6, 2004 Planning Board meeting at 7:00 PM.

Nbr. Name Project

60 Perry Fowler Garage/Add’n.

61 William Pinkham Sun Room

62 Susan Higgins Addition

63 not issued

64 Gary Eaton Garage/Add’n.

65 Joseph St. Pierre Residence

66 Paul Davis Residence

67 Leonard Moon Shed

68 Kenneth Fredette Residence

69 Paul Trepanier Residence

70 Melissa Tracy Decks

71 Timothy Jordan Garage-Brzwy

72 Mark Munsell Dock

73 Toby Stephenson Conversion

74 Gary Murphy Residence

75 W & E Harding Patio Room

76 Tom Richardson Residence

77 T & V Brennan Residence

78 Wm. Harris Addition

79 Alice Atkins Cabin

80 Ed Miller Addition

81 Eric Hartman 2 Cabins

82 Carolyn Larson Move Bldg.

83 Teresa Rohner Mobile Home

The number of building permits issued is nearly the same as the record number issued in 2002. Permits are needed for most building projects and all projects in the Shoreland Zone.

(Lamoine) — A recent newspaper ad indicating that subdivision lots for sale in the Marlboro area of town have town maintained road frontage raised the eyebrows of the Planning Board and the Board of Selectmen. To be a town-maintained road, the road must first be accepted as a town road by voters at a town meeting. No such roads have been accepted since Birchlawn Drive was established many years ago off Buttermilk Road.

Another developer has indicated he would like the town to maintain a road he recently built and paved serving an 8-unit subdivision off Douglas Highway. He requested that the Road Commissioner confirm the road was built to town standards. The Selectmen instructed the developer that any such certification should come at the developer’s expense from a qualified engineer. The developer said he intends to meet with the Selectmen early in 2004 to discuss asking the town meeting whether to accept the road as town owned and maintained. Selectmen expressed reluctance at taking over any more road maintenance. The developer notes that the amount of value added through tax base might make it worthwhile.

(Lamoine) - Voters in Lamoine nearly mirrored the rest of Maine in November, rejecting a bid by Maine’s Indian Nations for a casino in Sanford, approving of slot machines at horse racing tracks, and asking for some sort of property tax relief. The turnout set records for a non-candidate, off-year election, with 725 voters casting ballots. The official number of registered voters in Lamoine is 1249, but the actual number should be a bit lower as the voter list has not been purged in many years.

The casino vote in Lamoine went down to defeat 223-to-521. The racino vote passed 381-to-336.

The issue of property tax relief was a complicated matter, as there were competing measures on the ballot. Question 1-A, initiated by the largest petition drive in state history, gathered 249 votes. Question 1-B, the Governor’s alternative received 268 votes, while question 1-C, the “do nothing” alternative received 172 votes. Statewide, Question 1-A received the most votes and will stand alone as a ballot measure next June.

Bond issues for pollution control, colleges and transportation, all passed handily statewide, and Lamoine voters approved of the borrowing as well. It took roughly four hours to count all the votes.

(Lamoine) — To generally favorable reviews, the state reconstruction project from Jordan River Road to Latona Lane on Routes 204 and 184 is complete. A little bit of work may be left for Lane Construction to perform in the spring, including removal of some construction signs on Mill and Shore Roads. The section of highway is wider, stronger, and much more attractive following completion. The intersection by the town hall is also a lot safer, as visibility was significantly increased by cutting down the hump looking toward the General Store.

Not everyone was satisfied with the final design. Several Shore Road residents complained about the new configuration at Lamoine Corner that eliminates a straight shot to enter Shore Road. That area was filled in with vegetation, and a two lane entrance curves off Lamoine Beach Road. Complaints include large trucks operating on the wrong side of the road and right hand blinkers clicking off because of the angle of the curve and turn.

The other complaint came from the school and fire department, as the MDOT ordered an island installed between the two complexes to cut down the width of the entrance. After meeting with town officials, engineers redesigned the island with a sloped sidewalk and slightly more toward the school, keeping the same number of parking areas. The town will have to remove snow from the sidewalk area.

A final inspection and sign-off for the project are expected soon.

(Lamoine) — Selectmen voted to pay for wheel damage to a Shore Road resident who said his car was damaged when he hit an un-patched and unmarked cross culvert at high speed. Robert Orzel reported to the Selectmen that the damage to a pair of tire rims occurred in late September. Road Commissioner Stu Marckoon reported that a contractor had re-set several culverts on Shore Road, but was unable to patch them during the weekend, so left gravel over the pavement cuts. A heavy rain on a Friday night compacted the gravel, leaving a large lip, and no bump signs were installed. He said he received no complaints during the weekend, and the road was patched first thing on Monday. The repairs cost $457.82.

(Lamoine) — They call it “skinny mix”, and a layer of it now sits atop Route 204 from Douglas Highway to the end at Seal Point Road.

“Skinny Mix” is pavement laid in a very thin (generally 1/2 to 1”) layer to keep a road from breaking apart. The Maine Department of Transportation put down the mix in October, 2004 to stabilize about six miles of the road. While Partridge Cove Road (the section from Mud Creek Road to Seal Point Road) doesn’t have a lot of traffic, Pinkhams’ Flats has become a somewhat busy road with traffic cutting between Route 1 in Hancock and Route 3 in Trenton. The entire section of road had started to badly deteriorate, with severe pavement cracking reported.

Transportation Department officials acknowledge that “skinny mix” is not a long-term road fix, and generally will last 2 to 5 years, depending on the traffic load.

(Lamoine) — Transfer Station Manager Allen Sternfield reports excellent compliance with the new transfer station sticker requirement. Selectmen opted to issue the new stickers in the fall of 2003 in order to make sure that people using the transfer station bring in only Lamoine trash. Sternfield has been turning away vehicles without the proper stickers.

The stickers are free and available only at the Lamoine Town Office. Proof of residency is required, either through automobile excise tax, residential property ownership, or rental agreements. Commercial trash is not accepted at the transfer station. The new stickers are much more durable than the old ones, sticking to the inside of the windshield instead of the exterior. By mid-December, the town office had issued stickers to 320 households.

(Lamoine) — The Selectmen are soliciting bids for snow plowing, and are asking that contractors use straight salt for the next three years. The MDOT has switched to what it calls a “salt-priority” program, and it has proven to use less salt, no sand on paved roads, is much more effective in clearing snow off the roads. The success of the salt only program involves pre-treating the roads with liquid calcium chloride and salt before a storm so the snow and ice don’t have a chance to bond to the pavement. As the plows remove the snow, another layer of pre-wetted salt is spread to keep the road warm enough to melt the snow.

Bids are due February 5, 2004. Selectmen hope to have a final price to present to town meeting in March for budget considerations.

(Lamoine) — Selectmen have assigned the name “Rusty’s Lane” to a driveway that will serve two residences on Buttermilk Road. The landowners suggested the name to the Board in on December 4th, and a rain thawed the ground enough to install the sign a few days later.

Any road that serves more than one residence must have a name under the Road Naming and Numbering Ordinance. It’s a complex process after the road is established. Once a road name is assigned, the town installs a street sign (blue for private roads, green for public), notifies the property owners of the road name and address, notifies the state E-911 bureau and Verizon, and the post office. Additionally, maps are generated for the public and public safety agencies that serve the community.

(Lamoine) — The discovery of an opiate drug in a student desk at the Lamoine Consolidated School remains under investigation by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. So far no one has been charged in the incident called disturbing by Principal Val Perkins.

The discovery resulted in an open meeting between school officials, parents, and Open Door Recovery counselor Kip Young. Mr. Young presented some excellent observations about the realities of drug use among school aged children, and offered parents some skills to deal with exposures children might have to substances. He reminded parents that they don’t necessarily have to be their child’s “best friend”, they need to be parents first, and lay down the law about drugs.

Also present at the forum was Sergeant Corey Bagley of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. Ironically, the session came on the same night that the Hancock County Budget Committee narrowly approved funding for a special drug task force, of which Bagley will be one of 3 full time members. Bagley said he was not able to devote a great deal of time investigating the incident, but the task force should help tremendously.

(Caribou, ME) — Former Lamoine resident Michael Flannery, 40, died after a police chase in Aroostook County in December. The car he drove at high speeds from the scene of a burglary apparently hit a tree.

Flannery was under indictment in Hancock County for several burglaries, including some in Lamoine. He moved from town in 2003 after he was released on bail. The District Attorney’s office said a District Court judge will likely decide whether bail would be forfeited following Flannery’s death.

Flannery was arrested after police traced stolen items pawned in Bangor to him. He allegedly told investigators that a woman living in a car sold the items to him, and he re-sold them to the pawn shop. Flannery is survived by a wife and two young children.

(Ellsworth) — Lamoine resident Michael Tibbetts and Bryan Lennon of Ellsworth will start their adult lives in the state prison system following a burglary, theft, arson and vandalism spree a year ago that left at least one home in ruin, several vehicles destroyed, and people’s lives invaded. Both were sentenced to three years by a District Court judge following their admissions and/or convictions on several counts. Another teen-ager, William Smith of Otis, will spend time at the Maine Youth Center until he turns 20-years old.

The trio went on a rampage during a 3-day period in the fall of 2002, stealing at least five vehicles, damaging the entrance booth at Lamoine State Park, burglarizing homes in the Fox Run area of Lamoine, and vandalizing one home by ripping a sink from a wall and flooding it. That incident caused at least $90,000 in damage that the homeowner reports was just recently completely repaired. One of the stolen vehicles was set ablaze behind the Lamoine General Store at about 2:00 AM, bringing firefighters rushing to the scene to save the store from damage. Newspaper reports indicate the teens watched the initial part of the fire from the town hall parking lot.

In sentencing Lennon, the judge refused to hold off on the incarceration as requested by his parents until after Christmas. The initial sentence was for 9-years for each of the older boys, with all but three years suspended. Since the sentencing, relatively few crimes have been reported in Lamoine.

(Lamoine) — Should Lamoine taxpayers sponsor a volunteer patrol to deter crime? That question will initially face voters at the March 3, 2004 town meeting. A report from the Lamoine Public Safety Study Committee recommended that the Selectmen proceed cautiously with a two part question to place before the town meeting body. The first question to be voted on in March simply asks if the Selectmen should explore whether it’s feasible to form a volunteer patrol organization. If the town meeting votes in favor of this, the Selectmen would organize a meeting of those who might be interested in forming such an organization. If enough volunteers come forward, its expected the group would come up with a specific organization and proposal to put before a 2nd town meeting which would ask whether the town would support the volunteer force.

The report also contains a timeline, and if nothing is organized by the end of 2004, the proposal for a volunteer patrol would end. The complete report from the study is available at the town’s website—www.lamoine-me.gov.

(Lamoine) — High winds on October 15th and November 29th produced long-term power outages and kept firefighters on scene for several hours, mostly in the Marlboro section of Lamoine. The wind storms brought trees down over power lines and in the roads in several locations.

The October 15th storm generated three calls for help, including a tree over Shore Road that was quickly cleared by firefighters, and a flooded basement on Shore Road that the homeowner was able to solve with use of a generator and sump pump. The third call took a lot longer to clear, as trees crossed power lines on Partridge Cove Road, Marlboro Beach Road and Seal Point Road. Firefighters provided traffic control around the downed power lines, and waited for about six hours for crews from Bangor Hydro Electric Company to arrive and clear the downed lines safely.

The storm that hit early in the morning on November 29th prompted a couple more calls to the Marlboro area, with the biggest problem a tree (below) that came down over the power lines on Seal Point Road. It took Bangor Hydro crews (with some prodding from the fire chief) about 3-hours to respond to that scene to de-energize the line so the tree could be removed. Trapped on the wrong side of the tree was former MDI High School basketball coach Bert Barker who’s daughter was playing in one of her first college games for the University of Maine that afternoon. The road was cleared in time for Barker to get to the game, but power was not restored to area residences until the next day. Another wind storm December 18th brought down smaller trees, but no fire department response was needed.

(Lamoine) — Fire Chief Skip Smith met with the Board of Selectmen in December to make a pitch for the town to replace a 1975 American LaFrance pumper truck with a brand new pumper/rescue combination truck. The fire department has raised $50,000 it will donate toward the project. The new truck is likely to cost about $175,000. The town has set aside approximately $25,000 in the truck reserve.

Chief Smith told Selectmen the new truck would carry all the gear used in rescue situations in one location rather than scattered all over the various pieces of apparatus. The budget committee is studying the proposal which might involve floating a 5-year loan for the balance. Fire department Chief Engineer Mo Oliver is in the process of getting a final design on the proposed new truck.

(Lamoine) - In mid-January Josh Jones of Mill Road will become the latest Lamoine Boy Scout to receive his Eagle Scout badge, keeping alive a long string of community service and Scouting’s highest honor in town. Jones designed and supervised the renovations at Lamoine Beach Park in 2003. Included in the work was re-grading the picnic area to even out and re-seed the grassy areas, digging out the cracked pavement in the walkways, making the picnic tables accessible for the handicapped, and install a sign thanking those involved in the project. He was able to raise the money and materials needed without help from the town coffers.

One minor part of the project remains incomplete, paving the walkways that’s part of the town’s plan for the park. The paving contractor was unable to complete the work in the fall, but should be able to get to it in the spring or early summer.

(Lamoine) — A day after a brisk voter turnout, the lines were back at the Lamoine Town Hall on November 5th. For two hours nurse Carol Spencer and helper Maralyn Hunnewell administered flu shots for the coming season. They had plenty of takers, with over 60-people getting shots in the two hours they were given at the town hall.

The cost was a bit higher this year at $12. Spencer said the state chose not to subsidize the flu shots this year.

Demand for flu vaccine reportedly was huge after an outbreak was blamed for several deaths in other parts of the country. Vaccine supplies ran very low by mid-December, and federal officials re-ordered more vaccine.

(Lamoine) — Quite a crop of babies born in this quarter. Welcome to Merna Mae Davis, born at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital on December 14th. Zackery Joseph Courchene was born on November 5th at Eastern Maine Medical Center. Kasey Alexandra Jordan arrived the same day, born at Maine Coast Memorial. Sage Alexandra Leavitt was born October 7th at Maine Coast Memorial. Belated greetings to Moxie Isabella Weymouth McBreairty who was born June 18th. Also belated welcomes to Kaitlyn Lorraine Cowles, born June 12th in Ellsworth, and Matthew Donald Mingo who arrived on September 19th in Ellsworth. Both have a proud grand-father in Code Enforcement Officer John Holdsworth.

We note the passing of former Lamoine resident, Reverent Harland “Pete” Evans. He died December 5th at the age of 99. Pete was a long time resident of Seal Point Road and is remembered fondly by neighbors, and his family still owns the home he lived in.