I would like to thank all the townspeople and friends who have worked with me addressing the shocking visual outcome and damage done by clear-cutting at Evergreen Cemetery in Kennebunk.

Personally, I found there was undeniable traffic on my dad’s grave site and at other surrounding graves. Some mistakes were indeed made during this clear cutting process, but thankfully, most are able to be corrected.

After contacting the Maine State DEP, Maine State Forestry, Kennebunk Code Enforcement, Kennebunk town manager, Kennebunk town planner, Kennebunk town clerk, Kennebunk Police  Department, Local and state representatives, my attorney Matt Williams and at least 30 outspoken and concerned towns people, it has been made clear to me that the Cemetery Committee and the timber harvesting company did their best to make the cemetery project go right, though the outcome was not as committee members and townspeople expected it to be. The people in charge of this project were and are unqualified. Wayne Berry, David Spofford, and Gayle Spofford do not hold the experience to manage a project of this magnitude.

At this time, the committee is working to correct this, clean it up and make it presentable. Hopefully the with corrections and improvements the end results will be acceptable to everyone.

My question is when and how long it’s going to take. How will my veteran dads gravesite be protected as well as other veterans grave sites along with many other affected grave sites?

Although I do not agree with how this project was handled and how Evergreen Cemetery appears today, it is my belief and in my trust that this property will be cleaned up and properly and professionally managed going forward, providing that the people involved will be fully committed to this project. That includes utilizing and exhausting all resources to ensure a favorable outcome to all involved, including the concerned towns people.

My hat is off to Gayle Spofford of the Cemetery Committee as she is fully committed and has done her best to protect and manage the grave sites disrupted in the process of the cemetery clear cutting.  However Gayle is in way over her head and should never have been a manager during this destructive project. Proper knowledge and experienced professionals should have been acquired to manage this operation.

I have offered my assistance as a volunteer as this project moves forward and is cleaned up and at this time I would suggest that anyone able to volunteer services, materials or funding in order to expedite this process please do so.