In his Feb. 28 letter (“Shipyard sewer dispute brewing a bad impression”), Shipyard supporter Chris Shaw overlooks an important distinction when he confuses the regional water supplier with City Hall.

The Portland Water District is an independent entity, separate from the city of Portland, which provides water services to more than 50,000 customers in the Greater Portland region. It is governed by its own publicly elected board, representing 10 member communities.

Additional Photos

The idea that there is a “Portland Water District versus Shipyard Brewing dispute” clearly misses the boat, a reader says. 2012 File Photo/John Patriquin

At the city’s request, the Portland Water District includes the city’s sewer fee on the monthly water bill — we do this for many cities and towns in the area. This arrangement is similar to that of mortgage companies that collect and escrow property tax payments for towns and cities. Sewer fees collected by the district are turned over to the appropriate municipality on a weekly basis.

Shipyard Brewing Co. has been billed correctly for its water use; only city sewer charges are in question.

As with the letter writer, this story is often misconstrued as a “Portland Water District versus Shipyard Brewing dispute,” which clearly misses the boat. City and town governments oversee and manage sewer services and sewer rates.

We know public water is paramount to a business’ prosperity and a community’s quality of life. The Portland Water District is proud to provide its customers with clean, safe, affordable water.

Michelle Clements

public relations manager

Portland Water District

Portland

Even good teachers have human failings as well 

Who would want to be a teacher anymore? Lesson plans, correcting papers late at night, keeping up with technology so that our children are well educated. As the education world is becoming over burdened with advancing curriculum, kids are still kids. They want to play, they want to learn, and they stretch the boundaries of judgment and behavior, learning how to develop as individuals.

I get the sense that David Mason, the Freeport teacher who allegedly made a remark in class about taking students to the school’s roof and shooting them, was at his wits’ end, trying to keep his class structured and on topic.

Did he make an inappropriate remark? Maybe. RSU 5 administration will now have to figure that out.

Terrorizing children? Hardly. Whoever reported this should have had the decency to discuss this with Mason before going straight to the superintendent of schools.

If they were that concerned about Mason’s conduct, I wonder if their child was back in his classroom the next day? If they were that concerned, why not call the police?

Now we watch as a solid 35-year-plus education career gets tried in the court of public opinion and a well-earned reputation is inexplicably tarnished. Mistakes happen, teachers are human. I have not met a teacher yet who is not willing to sit down with a parent, and spend the extra time to discuss that parent’s concern about their child. A poor choice was made in not confronting Mason first.

For the record, I do know David Mason. I would feel privileged and lucky indeed if he were to teach my children in seventh and eighth grade. There are probably hundreds of students and parents in Maine who feel the same way.

Timothy Grace

Falmouth

Transparency is indeed the key to democracy

A Jan. 30 Portland Press Herald staff report noted: “The group (the National Orgaization for Marriage) spent nearly $2 million in 2009 to provide most of the funding for the campaign that overturned the state’s same-sex marriage law. … It did not say how much it is willing to spend this time around” (“State House Notebook: Group from away rejoins gay marriage debate”).

The Press Herald ran a story Feb. 11 headlined “Wealthy financier invests in Maine papers” — including The Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. The announcement added: “S. Donald Sussman, who is the husband of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, will own a 5 percent equity stake and have a seat on the board of directors.”

An article accompanying the announcement, “Newspaper’s citizen-investor walks a fine line,” noted that “Sussman was a big donor to the failed effort to make same-sex marriage legal in Maine in 2010,” when he donated $390,000 to that cause.

In the accompanying article, Mr. Sussman is quoted as saying, “Transparency is the key to democracy. Without it, we can’t have a democracy.” The article did not say how much he is willing to spend this time around to make same-sex marriage legal.

Walter J. Eno

Scarborough

Driving at lower speeds saves gasoline and engine

As I was driving home along a stretch of highway with a speed limit of 55 mph, I thought back to the days when there were many such zones.

Driving at lower speeds saves gasoline as well as your engine.

Some may remember the slogan “55 saves lives.” How many times does an accident report say that speed was a factor?

Although there are many more ways to conserve gasoline, here is just one more to keep in mind:

An idling car gets zero miles per gallon.

Bronda M. Niese

Woolwich

LURC should be backed and L.D. 1798 dropped

As governor, Paul LePage is aware that Maine’s environment is the goose that lays Maine’s golden eggs.

For 40 years, we have supported the Land Use Regulation Commission, which has provided the necessary and important stewardship guarding our state against all that would carelessly diminish her natural beauty and fresh air that are a magnet to visitors.

Visitors’ dollars feed our economy in such a major way that we cannot afford to weaken protective laws.

Given Gov. LePage’s good head for business and his urgency to grow Maine’s economy, surely his, and the Legislature’s, support will come down on the side of wisdom and common sense.

Considering the certain damage easily anticipated, LURC should be strengthened and L.D. 1798 dropped like a hot rock.

Loretta MacKinnon

Yarmouth

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