No need for Brunswick police armored vehicle

I’m writing to express my strong objection to the proposed $380,000 purchase of a new armored vehicle for the Brunswick Police Department. I think it is an unnecessary expense for our small town and that the money would be better invested for improving other aspects of our community.

As mentioned in the recent Forecaster article, the current Peacekeeper vehicle has seldom been used and has been used more outside of Brunswick than inside. At the very least, this should be a regional asset not funded primarily by Brunswick residents. Will a helicopter be next on the wishlist?

Len Westra, 
Brunswick

I noticed in your publication of last week that the Brunswick Police Department would like to purchase a military-style armored vehicle.

My hope is that we, the citizens of Midcoast Maine, have not gotten to the state of violence where such a vehicle is needed. What I would like to see is more police presence on the street in the form of officers walking the beat.

I would also like to see vehicles stopped by the police that are exceeding the speed limit. Driving between Bath and Brunswick, it is common to have cars pass me at 80 or even 90 mph. I rarely see a police car on this route. There are often many police cars parked in both the Bath and Brunswick stations. More contact with the local citizens might alleviate the need for further militarization of the police force.

Bart Chapin, 
Arrowsic

Call for gun safety measures

During my 32 years as a teacher of elementary-aged children, I was fortunate not to have experienced gun violence in my school. However, the threat of gun violence was often in my thoughts. With each heartbreaking incident of a school shooting in our country, I would dread returning to work the next day. I wondered how I would talk to my students about the latest shooting and reassure them that the adults would keep them safe.

Although I have retired from teaching and working with kids, I am a grandparent. Gun safety became a concern again when my grandson’s day care was locked down due to an event involving guns. Once again I wondered how you explain a lock down to a two year old, who is innocently going about his day.

Our children have a right to a safe environment, without worrying about being caught in the crossfire. No child should be fearful of attending day care or school, or bowling with friends.

If you support reasonable gun safety measures, please let your senator and representative know how you feel. It is crucial to speak up now, while the legislators are debating this issue. We can do better protecting our kids by passing common-sense gun laws, which most people in Maine support. Laws that encourage safe storage of firearms, extensive background checks, and banning high capacity-weapons are protections that we owe to our children and grandchildren.

Joan Newkirk,
Bath

Chipman for Harpswell Select Board

Dave is a seventh-generation son of Harpswell — and has lived in, served, and loved our town his whole life. He has one of the longest records of accomplishment I’ve ever seen.

I’ve known Dave for 30 years. He’s smart, fact-based, reality-oriented, logical, and calm. And his work always aims to benefit the town as a whole. Dave has served on the select board, the planning board as chair, and on nearly every town municipal committee, helping steer our future through research, education, and understanding.

In particular, he has championed the town’s fishing industry for decades, working to create commercial fishing zones so new mansions can’t push wharves off the waterfront; to protect and restore shrimp, softshell clam, finfish, lobster, and other resources; and to avert wind-turbine impacts on fisheries.

Dave believes in a good education for our children. He’s a founding member and first chair of the West Harpswell School PTO and served two terms on the SAD 75 School Board.

Dave has volunteered with Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue for 56 years now. He’s a former ambulance crew leader, the department’s first training officer, and its first fireman to don an air pack, walk into a fire and put it out from the inside.

He is a founder and board member of the Harpswell Heritage Housing Trust, a nonprofit that has built 12 affordable homes in Harpswell.

He helped create the community gardens at Mitchell Field, providing fresh vegetables for local hunger prevention programs.

And he helped create Harpswell Community Television, America’s only over-the-air broadcast public-access TV station.

Strong democracies are built from the ground up. Even though Dave will be alone on the ballot, he in fact has a write-in opponent. This means it’s especially important for you to vote on March 9 — please! — not just to reelect Dave, but to help keep Harpswell the unique, life-giving place it’s always been.

George Simonson,
Harpswell

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