Thanks to Scarborough postal workers
To the editor,
Having read the recent Portland Press Herald (PPH) article regarding the negatives of Maine’s postal service operations, I feel compelled to give positive recognition to our Scarborough Post Office Employees. (Audit of Maine postal operations finds widespread deficiencies PPH 9/14/23)
There are only three employees working in the Scarborough Post Office which serves the Scarborough population of 22,000. These three people are far from “deficient”. They are consistently patient, friendly, efficient and helpful to the lines of customers that enter the Post Office each day. Scarborough is so fortunate that these three people are willing to work long hours and days in an outdated building with limited staff serving a constant stream of customers.
Thank you, Scarborough Postal employees for the outstanding service that you give to so many in spite of the challenges that are faced each day.
Nina McKee
Scarborough
Re-elect Crockett to water district board
To the editor,
I urge Scarborough residents to re-elect Leroy Crockett to the Portland Water District Board of Trustees for a five-year term. Leroy graciously stepped up to fill a vacant seat and has been serving in this capacity since winning the write-in election in June. Leroy Crockett is a Scarborough native, living and working in our town, who has selflessly volunteered in our community over his lifetime. He currently holds leadership positions for Scarborough’s Chamber of Commerce and Scarborough Buy Local, and helps with many school and town events. He cares deeply about our community and the environment. He’s the right person to represent our community. Vote Leroy Crockett for Portland Water District Board of Trustees.
Alberta Follansbee
To the editor,
I am writing to endorse the reelection of Leroy Crockett for Portland Water District trustee from Scarborough.
Seeing there was a six-month vacancy before the November election, Leroy stepped up to fill the spot. This is not unusual for him, as he is very active in the Scarborough community and its organizations.
As a new trustee, Leroy quickly acclimated himself to the Water District’s issues and immersed himself in whatever opportunities presented to see firsthand how things work. He did not wait but took the initiative to become a fully contributing trustee right from the jump.
Given his dedication to Scarborough and his understanding and contributions to the Water District, Leroy has become a very valuable member of the board.
It is my strong recommendation that the voters of Scarborough support their community and the Portland Water District by reelecting Leroy.
Ken Levinsky
Portland
Portland Water District Trustee (2009-present)
To the editor,
I am writing in support of Leroy Crockett for Portland Water Trustee, I have known and worked with Leroy for some 30+ years.Having also graduated from Scarborough High School, Leroy has been a very involved and conscientious member of our community and surrounding area. While being very active with the Scarborough Chamber of Commerce, Leroy was instrumental with the Muskie Institute partnering with the Chamber in its survey of area businesses, which helped confirm the need for improved pedestrian connectivity including crosswalks, improved commuter transportation (bus routes) to help supply the need for employees. I have served with Leroy on both the Chamber Board of Directors and the Zoning Board of Appeals for many years, where I have found him to be thoughtful, considerate, while fulfilling his fiduciary responsibilities in those positions. Beyond those responsibilities listed above, Leroy has been involved with the summer concert series here in town and taken on the SHS Memorial Golf Tournament that has helped raise thousands of dollars for high school scholarships. These are but a few reasons why I am endorsing and voting for Leroy Crockett for Portland Water Trustee.
Art Dillon
Scarborough
To the editor,
I met Leroy 20 years ago while serving on the Scarborough Community Chamber of Commerce Board and as fellow Rotarians. Leroy’s steps up to serve when he sees a need due to his unwavering dedication to Scarborough. This is how he was elected to the Portland Water District as your current trustee looking to be re-elected. The position went vacant for months and while others were asked to run they chose not to. Leroy stepped in to make sure Scarborough was represented.
Leroy graciously donated his time in helping with Scarborough’s 350th Anniversary Celebration many years ago. Leroy, as president of the Rotary, worked to get special sign markings throughout Scarborough to help our emergency responders respond to citizens in need. He also worked hard to initiate clean water initiatives for those less fortunate. He also brought the Muskie institute to Scarborough through the chamber to evaluate town needs. Some things that came from these recommendations were crosswalks in various spots in town, public transit for buses coming to Scarborough and affordable housing for people looking to work and live in Scarborough. Leroy’s degree in business management along with his nine years of service including past chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals makes him extremely qualified to help manage our water resources and deal with any regulatory issues that arise. Leroy has also graciously volunteered with the schools, community services and helps to run the Summer Concert Series in the Park.
Please join me re-electing Leroy on Nov. 7.
Karen Vachon
To the editor,
I’ve known Leroy Crockett, our current trustee who is running for re-election to the Portland Water District Board of Trustees, for the many years. I met Leroy in a Scarborough networking group and then entrusted him with my business – to which he did a superb job. In these five years, I’ve seen Leroy’s commitment to the community as he has volunteered to numerous organizations, including Scarborough Buy Local. With Scarborough Buy Local he, along with others, did everything they could to help Scarborough businesses through COVID by posting on our social media for people to still purchase locally from those businesses that were experiencing tough times and reaching out to many businesses to see what we could do to help. Having served with Leroy on various boards and committees in town I have witnessed his leadership and desire to work tirelessly for Scarborough. He is constantly volunteering, involved in running the SHS Memorial Golf Fundraiser which raises up to $35,000.00 annually for local high school seniors in scholarships and looking at how to help and be more involved in the school, community services and the community in general. For over 30 years, Leroy has served Scarborough through Scarborough Buy Local, Scarborough Chamber of Commerce or coaching various sports.
When I vote this November I want to know that the person I am voting for is looking out for me first, and I know that Leroy is the best person to do that.
Jesse Fowler
Mega-school is a bad idea
To the editor,
Scarborough’s three neighborhood schools offer an anchor point for families, and a sense of community not found elsewhere in town.
Many parents either walk their children to school or drop them off each morning, or the kids ride their bikes. Cars line Highland Avenue in Pleasant Hill each morning and afternoon, because parents don’t want their kids riding the bus. Imagine what the combined traffic from three schools will do when it’s all concentrated in the Downs? And for the parents whose children do ride the bus, how will they like their kids facing a much longer bus ride twice a day? And there certainly won’t be any kids riding their bikes from Pleasant Hill.
Will After Care go away, or will people need to drive to the Downs to pick their children up after a long day at work? Just another burden to hard working parents already pressed for time.
And what about new families who’ve moved to town recently? One of the things that drew them here was the small, neighborhood schools. These families didn’t move here from rural Maine, they moved from bigger towns in Massachusetts and New York, and small schools are probably a welcome change.
The school project is a bad deal, for the children, the taxpayers, and the town. I’ll be voting “NO,” and you should do the same.
Kerry Peabody
Re-elect Anderson to Town Council
To the editor,
I will be voting for Jon Anderson for Scarborough Town Council in November.
Anderson has shown himself to be a thoughtful person, studious, does his homework, and is not afraid to take difficult stands.
I have seen him in meetings, both televised, and non-televised, and he uniformly works hard to try to find common ground, be polite, courteous, and respectful.
He has a broad range of knowledge from his professional world, and from having lived in different states. I think Anderson has been a credit to the Scarborough Town Council, and I will be voting to re-elect him in November.
Dan Warren
To the Editor,
The ability to compromise, critical to effective governing, is one of the attributes that make Jonathan Anderson the right candidate for a seat on the Scarborough Town Council. His decision-making style, characterized by researching, questioning, listening and deliberation, is well suited to tackling the big issues facing the town right now. He shares a genuine love for the community with the many different groups that call Scarborough home. He gets involved, attends many, many meetings, all in his quest to get to the heart of a particular issue and its impact on community members. A leader who dedicates so much time, energy and talent in this manner, for the common good, not his own personal agenda, has earned my vote. I would encourage you to join me in re-electing Jonathan Anderson to the Scarborough Town Council.
Respectfully,
Trish Brigham
Scarborough
Vote yes on school bond
To the editor,
Three years ago, my family drove to Scarborough to see a house for sale. We were early so we grabbed a Hot-n-Ready from Little Caesar’s and found a nearby playground which we would learn was Eight Corners. Having seen other nearby towns, this shabby collection of portables was disappointing. “Is this really the elementary school? You can’t even walk to it!”
We finished our pizza, and after the neighborhood made a strong impression, and our realtor assured us this is a “good” school district, we made an offer and never looked back.
We love it here. We’ve experienced firsthand the great staff and families that make up our schools. Eventually, however, people are going to start to believe their eyes when they see these facilities.
Anyone who might have nostalgia for these old schools, I empathize, but I assure you, the thing you are nostalgic for no longer exists. Quality updated public-school facilities are something any town should prioritize. Schools are the “front door” of the town, the thing everyone sees and forms an impression on.
The math isn’t hard. If schools are important and we just experienced an influx of new tax-paying families necessitating a new one, we ought to be able to figure it out collectively. Investing in Scarborough via the K-8 Strategic Solution is in the best interest of all residents, if the idea of having a nice town means anything. I’m voting yes.
Matt Fredette
Scarborough
To the editor,
On September 2nd, 2023, I landed what will undoubtedly be the best job I will ever have, motherhood. The last five weeks have been a whirlwind of sleepless nights, newborn snuggles, and countless diaper changes, but what has resonated with me the most is how thankful I am to have moved back to my hometown of Scarborough to be surrounded by my family and friends. Their love and support has been such a blessing and it has reminded me of how lucky I was to grow up in Pleasant Hill.
I have been following the progress made regarding the consolidated school and it is clear to me what an immense amount of work has gone into the proposal on the ballot in November. This proposal has been painstakingly thought out over multiple years and it is long overdue, as too many of our students are already spending their school days in portables. I feel incredibly lucky to live in a community where so many members are willing to put in their time, effort, and often nights away from their own kids to develop this proposal. I am truly excited at the prospect of sending my son to a school that has been specifically designed to meet his learning needs and will allow him to flourish during some of the most formative years of his life. I encourage everyone to vote yes for the consolidated school proposal and the future of our Scarborough little ones, they deserve it.
Kate Traw
Scarborough
Can we trust numbers?
To the editor,
At this point, the Town Council and Town Staff are aware that the recently estimated savings to taxpayers of the Downs development of $528 per household shared with multiple media outlets (PPH, Scarborough Leader, WGME, etc.) contained a glaring error of omission that significantly overstated the savings. It has been confirmed in emails by Town Staff and a Town Council member that the calculations did not reflect the CEA monies reimbursed to the Downs (40% of the tax revenue) or any of the costs of the town services provided to the Downs development including the annual $940,000 educational costs of the estimated 47 students.
When appropriately accounting for these omissions, the actual savings, if any, will be significantly lower than reported. What is concerning is the town leadership has been aware of this omission for over two weeks. We can all understand honest mistakes. However, as of Oct. 10, there has not been any public acknowledgment of the error or any corrected estimate provided by the Town Council or town staff. Without acknowledging and correcting the information in good faith it raises the question of whether this was an honest mistake or something else. I urge the Town Council to take the steps to correct the public record at once, so we all have the correct information as we head to the polls,
Peter Hayes
Former Chair of the Scarborough Town Council and Finance Committee
Elect Cushing for Council
To the editor,
I am writing to express my strong support for the candidacy of Don Cushing for Scarborough Town Council. Don is one of the smartest people I know and has a wealth of real-world experience that will greatly benefit Scarborough and its tax payers in a time of rapid growth.
Don and I met in the 1990s as MBA candidates at USM’s School of Business. We served together on several teams where I witnessed first-hand his ability to assess a problem or opportunity and to collegially lead the team to the optimal course of action.
Over the course of his career, Don has run numerous large health care practices. He is adept at long-range planning and knows how to manage a budget to fund critical needs while making the best use of scarce financial resources.
Don has been a Scarborough resident for 30 years, but he has also lived and worked in American cities experiencing high growth. He has seen the good and the bad of urban planning, and is committed to making the best decisions for our town as it grows while maintaining the precious natural resources that make Scarborough such a great place to live.
I urge fellow Scarborough residents to visit www.cushingforcouncil.com to learn more about Don, and to vote for Don Cushing on November 7.
Tom Dyhrberg
Scarborough
Re-elect Caterina to Town Council
To the editor,
I am writing in support of Jean Marie Caterina for re-election to the Scarborough Town Council. I know Jean Marie well from serving for years with her on the Council. She exemplifies all of the qualities of leadership that we should want in our Council members. She is independent minded, thoughtful, and balanced in her assessment of issues. In governing, she reflects the values of the overwhelming majority of our community, fiscal responsibility, concern for those in need, and support for quality public schools. She is the consummate public leader, not wed to any extreme voice or ideology. I encourage everyone to vote for Jean Marie.
Bill Donovan
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