letter to the editor

Bring back Wiscasset she loves

Tue, 02/20/2018 - 3:30pm

Dear Editor:

I am a former resident of Wiscasset, on the Board of Trustees of the Wiscasset Library, and an instrumental member of the Friends of the Wiscasset Library. I care about Wiscasset , the citizens, and friends that I have developed over the years.

The MDOT issue the town is facing is not just limited to Wiscasset, it affects citizens and those visiting the town. The decisions facing the residents via the Select Board and the citizen vote is so important.

The crucial decision(s) that the townspeople face are as follows: (1) Do the people vote to abandon the current lawsuit in light of the fact that they were never asked to vote on it in the first place? The legal fees are rising daily with projections thru June pushing $200,000-plus. Abandon and count your losses now? (2) Who and how will this lawsuit be paid? Will taxes be assessed to the citizens of Wiscasset, of which many were not on board with this? (3) Facing an ever mounting legal bill, does the town accept money from special interest groups to pay a portion of the legal bills and to affect changes in the town. Perhaps not illegal, but the perception that there may be “strings” attached, could be perceived as a whittling down of democracy.

As an involved and caring “outsider,” I say: Vote to abandon this lawsuit and have the current legal fees paid for out of the “rainy day” reserve fund. Then stop and think.

Decisions must be made for all facets of the town. Move to positive issues that will help the downtown businesses, like the Downeaster passenger train. Wiscasset is currently in a fishbowl portraying an image that is unbecoming to what drew me and many to live and give here. Find the best in the town and capitalize on it. I am not alone in wishing for the special place that Wiscasset is, to return, with the beautiful weather. Lawsuits very seldom benefit anyone or any cause except the attorneys.

Michelle Peele

Alna