I am a 35-year resident of Frye Island and I’m writing to express my disappointment with the recent Lake Region news article regarding Frye Island ‘s recent unilateral decision (it was made without an actual Frye Island board of selectman vote) to circumvent the Raymond appeal board and proceed to superior court.

I have followed the Raymond Planning Board’s consideration of Frye Island’s park and ride application since it began and I must compliment the serious and thoughtful consideration that the Planning Board has afforded Frye Island throughout these proceedings. At times it has been difficult to do because Frye Island has changed direction from a three-phase proposal that would ultimately park anywhere from the currently proposed 40 or so cars to 99 cars and 50 golf carts to parking for 150 or even 250 cars and carts.

They have also gone from this being needed for “safety considerations” to a now-simpler need for additional parking to accommodate a few islanders who would like to be able to leave cars on the mainland in order to avoid the cost of an auto ferry ticket by paying less for a walk-on ticket.

A view of the various plans Frye has considered, including a presentation given to Congresswoman Chellie Pingree in 2010, would lead one to conclude that Frye’s actual intentions far exceed the information they have actually provided to Raymond to date. (There is a brief three-minute program on Youtube under “Frye Island park and ride” in which a representative of Frye Island explains the plan if you care to view it.)

I believe the fact that Frye Island voters have never been given an opportunity to vote on the basic question, Do we even want this park and ride facility? speaks volumes to the integrity of this process.

The Raymond Board of Selectman should stand strongly behind the excellent work that has been done by the dedicated members of their own planning board.

This last article seemed to report mostly on Frye Island’s court complaint. I would hope that a more in-depth article will be forthcoming. I think the real story is yet to be told.

Frank Limauro

Frye Island