We were told when the consolidation was being forced onto us that there would be room for all the students with the exception of perhaps a couple of portables to use. Now they want a 5 million plus addition with all those extra rooms. They need to realize that people can't afford all those added costs. The town part of the budget has held the line. The school department needs to do the same.
And why should they apply for these jobs when they can get all the welfare assistance they want. People have no pride it would seem. We were brought up to work for whatever we could earn until a better job opened up. Welfare is to easy and they can stay home.
So much for consolidation saving any money. Now the taxpayers in Jay are paying more than 72 % of the cost of education for all the towns in the district.. Its a wonderful thing for the folks in Livermore and Liv Falls for sure. And they have one more vote on the school board than Jay does so whoope do. They get to spend the money and Jay gets to pay the bill. There is something wrong with this picture.
Excellent article Kalle! I don't always agree with you but on this you are spot on. Mark has been a good coach for the kids and it would sound like an agenda by former SAD 36 folks was definately in play. The feel good idea that all kids get equal time is for AYS--not high school football. To allow parents much input in the program is also a carry over from the little league program. The consolidation was fast tracked through and we are stuck with it but hopefully cooler minds will prevail in the future and small town polotics will not be part of decisions the board makes.
I am not running for anything. I did misunderstand what you said. I am also retired and get soooo irritated with the young folks and the imports that are only here to get the free handouts this state is so happy to give them. I worked for $2.00 a week more than unemployment back in the 60's because I didn't want to be on the dole so don't think I have never had a job. I worked many years and have only been retired a little while. My husband and I were in a restaurant a few weeks ago in Augusta and overhear a fellow telling the folks he was with that he had hired a receptionist under the table, paying her 12.50 an hour so that she could still get her unemployment. This is one of the problems but it is never investigated. So I am sorry if you were insulted.
A lot of folks travel that far to get work. They car pool or take a room in the area for the nights they need to. It sounds like you are just looking for an excuse not to work at a good paying job. Are you saying that you earn more than $250.00 a week on unemployment? There are many people who are working under the table and still getting their unemployment. This isn't right either. You blame the republicans for trying to make changes but the problem has been building for many years and no one wanted to fix it. They just keep pushing it down the road and now the day has come as the money has run out. Any job should be better than none if a person has the opportunity to work. Just saying.
Dan---I would really like you to explain this supposed wealthy tax cut that you are so quick to tote out each time someone talks about cutting welfare and all these liberal give aways to those with their hand out here in Maine. I say good for Mr Timberlake and the others in Augusta who have had the courage to slow this drain on our state. The next thing I hope they tackle is making it manditory for anyone who wants welfare to make sure they have been here for at least 6 month, perhaps longer before they get help. Then make sure they are actively looking for work each week.
I have said many times that the turnpike is the best road in Maine and it is because of the tolls. Why should tax dollars from people in parts of the state that don't use the road, be used to keep it maintained?? It will become just like the other roads in Maine, not very good. If you don't want to pay--don't use it.
We have used the open road tolling in other states and it is very efficient. Some folks just don't like change of any kind. I say it is long overdue and if you people that bitch don't like it, or the tolls, don't use the road. It is as simple as that.
My question to you Mr Jones is why would the district want to spend much more money than the figures you are quoting for a Jay addition to bring the Livermore Falls High School up to code and to fix all the issues there are with the building??? Many repairs were not done in a timely fashion over the past few years and the building is falling down. Using the middle school in Jay for high school students would be a waste of space as the building is geared to middle school students, not high school. Part of the consolidation was the recommendation that the LF high school would be closed. It still should be done.
I forgot to say for those that don't know that it is just before the bridge in New Auburn in what I believe is the old Andy's baked bean place on Broad St.
My husband and I ate at the new Firehouse restaurant for the second time tonight. The food was good and the service was good also. It is a locally owned restaurant and we will go back again.
You all seem to forget that Baldachi was elected with a margin less than Governor LePage. Our campaigner in chief in DC has been running since he was elected the first time and expects to raise 1 billion dollars for his re-election run. How many citizens would that help? Governor LePage is doing a good job and I say good for him. Finally a governor that is trying to get costs under control.
Yes the republicans have been on the campaign trail but they are not supposed to be running the country. He should be in Washington trying to get us out of this mess, not having photo opps all over the place at the expense of the taxpayers. Also I think you will find it was Jimmy Carter who had the inflation rate over the top with price controls and interest rates at 18%. I would agree that campaigns are way to long and I for one are sick of seeing all of them on TV-notonly Obama. He should be critized as he is trying to turn this country over to socialism and will if he is reelected. My opinion!!
Dan how can you say what she is saying is an exageration or a lie? I also find what she is saying to be exactly true. When Obama came into office gas was $1.88 a gallon or thereabouts. It is now in the vacinity of $3.30 a gallon. Our social security is just as she said with no increase in 3 years. It is now going to go up but so also is the medicare. Food costs increase at a weekely rate with everything I buy going up and the size of the packages becoming smaller. What part of the universe are you residing in? Obama spends his time on the campaign trail with no care as to what is happening except his re-election so he can finish his job of distroying this wonderful country as we know it.
The voters turned down the Lewiston casino by a huge amount of votes. What part of this don't the casino backers understand? There is going to be a casino a few miles down the road in Oxford. Something else might be done with those buildings in Lewiston that would be productive to the residents of the area.What good does it do to vote on issues if the legislature can just overturn the results when certain special interest groups don't like the results??
And for your information, I remember reading a story on the front page of the Sun Journal quite a number of years ago which pictured one gentleman and I believe if my memory serves me right eight women and children that the Catholic Charities was bringing to Lewiston and setting up in an apartment. They were asking for donations of warm clothes and so forth as it was in the winter and the folks were not used to snow and cold. It WAS the catholic charities and it was the beginning of what was to come. You can say what you want but I will always blame the catholic charities for the problems we are now encountering. They should not come to the united states without sponsor and jobs as the immigrants that came through Ellis Island did so many years ago.
I know of someone that has 3 children that were born out of wedlock and have become 4th generation welfare takers. This cycle needs to be stopped. Please leave the elderly who can't take care of themselves alone, and get the leeches who can work and the immigrants who should not be here if they don't have sponsors off the dole. Catholic Charities brought the immigrants here--let them support them.
All the towns lost their identity when the consolidation was voted on. There is no Jay High school either. People who thought that was important should have considered it before voting for the consolidation.
This certainly is a much different story from what we were told during the consolidation meetings. A year ago we were told that there was room in Jay but they might have to have a few portables to get the students all in. Now they want to build a 16 room addition. It just goes to show that one can't trust the information they are given. With Jay taxpayers paying 71 % of the cost, this surely will impact taxes in one of the three towns.
Thank you Mr Poliquin for trying to bring the costs of the Maine housing units back into reality. Dale McCormick and the others who have been blowing taxpayers money while lining the pockets of the developers need to be brought to a hault. It has been so many years that no one has cared how much money has been spent. Gov Lepage and his department heads are trying to stop the bleeding. I say THANK YOU!!! If the cost to rehab these buildings is so much, don't rehab them. Let private developers do it at their peril. Enough is enough!!!
I just made cranberry relish for Thanksgiving dinner with Ricker Hill cranberries. They were so big and firm. Isn't it nice to be able to find them locally??
So much for consolidation!! Why are we segregating the two units and offering different grading requirements, different trip opportunities and many other things which should be the same. Why are the students going on a school day. Are the teachers who go paid for their days off as well as paying for the subs? As long as two campuses are maintained there will never be consolidtion.
It doesn't matter what he does. Some of you won't give him any credit. Why don't you find something else to bitch about????? After a while your same old tune gets tiresome. If you take the time, you can find many things he and his administration has done to make Maine better and it has only been 6 months.
This should go before the voters in a regular town meeting, not a vote of the selectmen at a monday night meeting with only the people who want the money packing the room. As noted this money for the tennis courts was voted down a few years ago.
We have been let to believe that the high school building in Livermore Falls would be closed after this next year because they had a big gov't grant that they wanted the chance to use up. Are they now leaning towards keeping that building open? Will the deception never end? That the supers would want to set up a program that would let students choose what building they want to attend would leave the impression that is what is going on.
Isn't that wonderful!! The taxpayers in Jay are paying 72.51per cent of the cost to educate all the children in RSU 73. What a deal for SAD 36, And Dr Wall keeps adding more and more money to the total. When will it end? This is supposed to be a good deal for Jay?? What a joke.
The DOT should NOT be given any money from the turnpike. They will just throw it away on welfare programs as they have done with other money that was supposed to go to the roads. Leave the money from tolls in their budget and reduce the tolls if there is an access.
There are many teens that do nothing but roam the street in the evenings. This will give them a better chance to put that time to better use. Those that want to study or take part in school activities will. There needs to be more emphasis on work ethics instead of the entitlement mentality that has developed over the years. Finally some common sense is coming out of Augusta.
Once again a recommended cut is not implimented by one of the committees. Just load them up folks. We were told that this consolidation was going to save money but each time one of the supers recommends cutting an un-needed postion or two, it doesn't happen. Now the taxpayers don't even have a chance to review the budget and recommend changes. The only thing that can be done is to vote no on the whole budget.
I agree! I use the turnpike quite frequently and don't mind paying for the use of it as it is the best road in the state. I do NOT want the tolls to be used by the state for other projects as pretty soon they will be rolling it into the general fund and raising the tolls to pay for all their pet projects, perhaps not even roads. Leave the toll money in place to pay for upkeep and improvements on the turnpike.
Good for Paul LePage. By having the murals moved on the weekend, it was a much safer invironment for all involved. Now perhaps everyone will be able to focus on more important issues. I am willing to bet that all the folks posting their hate on these forums didn't even know that the murals existed until the liberal media and the union organizers got them all whipped up.
Combining the school systems is a done deal and nothing can be done about it. The teams should be combined as the district will be one after July 1st. Everything else should be combined also but it would seem that combining the high schools is still being resisted. What will happen remains to be seen.
The combining of the two school systems was sold to us as cost saving and best for the two communities. Now folks are trying to keep the high schools separate so more sports teams can be had. That is NOT what we were told would happen but it looks like the powers that be want the best of both worlds. Just another instance of not being told the truth???
I see nothing wrong with 16 year olds working 32 hours a week. When I was in high school I worked 3-11 every night in a restaurant and went to school days and it was not a problem. It would seem that if young people were allowed to work while in school they would be able to develop a good work ethic and perhaps not have so much time to get into trouble and drugs.
If this is to be a combined unit, called RSU 73, why would NOT combining all the kids into one team even be considered? This process is supposed to save money and add programs "for the children". Now folks are trying to find ways to not combine them into one unit. How could the MPA allow two teams from one unit in any of the sports? It would seem that change is hard for some. The high school and middle school in Liv Falls should be closed as we were led to believe and classes combined in Jay.
I was in Auburn yesterday afternoon. A young fellow in a pick-up couldn't seem to go fast enough, excellerating past me and swerving into the snowbank on Center St and fishtailing up the road to the next light. These young hot rodders seem to think they should be able to go as fast as when the roads are dry and clear with summer conditions. Drivers need to slow down in the winter.
It doesn't matter what Paul LePage does, the Dems and liberals don't like it. Leave him alone and let him have a chance to get this state straightenend out. It can't get any worse and might even get better. Lets see the Sun write some positive stories about what is being done, not all negative. Your bias is showing.
Nothing is being said about closing the Liv Falls High school but that was also recommended by the reorganization committee. During the 3 informational meetings all the presenters wanted to do was sugar coat the issues. They didn't want to talk about the disadvantages of the consolidation. Once the Jay taxpayers lose control of all the property we have kept in top condition all these years it will be gone forever. If the Liv Falls high school isn't closed, we will pay to repair all the issues that have been let go for years. Sure Liv Falls might pay the difference to keep it open but does that also include all the repairs that will need to be done? I don't think so. People need to wake up and really look at the whole picture, not just what Dr Wall and Mary Redmond Luce want us to see. This is supposed to save us money to consolidate but Dr Wall admitted at the info meeting in Jay that it would in fact cost us more.
If the towns vote to consolidate, there is no directive to close any buildings, consolidate any classes, or lose any positions. Closing the high school and middle school building in Livermore Falls is only a recommendation. Jay would give away all the real estate and land to the RSU and would lose it forever. The AYS could lose their use of the land their building is setting on as well as the rooms they use in the community building as there is no reference to any of that in the article. Yes there need to be some changes made but I do not believe giving up Jay property and all control over the education of our children is the answer. It will not save any movey and in fact could cost much more. People should really think about voting on an article that really does not tell us anything about what is going to happen.
If you had been at the meeting last night you would have more information about the single sort program. There is going to be 2 informational meetings on Jan 18th that will explain what you can and cannot put in the recycle and what can be put in the clear bags. One will be in the afternoon at 2pm and 1 at 6 pm so that all who want to go will be able to. To say that just because a few dumpsters will now not be picked up by the town will make the town messy is just foolish. The town will still pick up trash at the businesses that have dumpsters, they can hire a private hauler, or can go to the Jay landfill themselves. The selectmen are working hard to find ways to save tax dollars and should be commended. As it is now, all taxpayers are subsidizing the few dumpsters. This will level the playing field for all. As far as clear bags are concerned, yes they have been picked up but the new ordinance which they are working to update
will give the landfill employees more teeth with which to enforce the ordinance. The town will have information available for all to read and understand what is expected.
How ridiculous these coments are. Paul LePage was elected by as big a margin as Baldachi was and deserves a chance to straighten this sorry mess Maine is in out. The fact that he hired his daughter or that she will live in the Blaine house makes no difference in the general scheme of things and hopefully he will get all the issues going in a better direction.
And the good folks of Livermore Falls want to do away with the police department??? With all the crime and issues, they will expect the Jay PD to help them out as they won't be able to get a sheriff there whenever they need them. Just another way the Jay taxpayers will be subsidizing the Livermore Falls residents. First the schools, then the police dept. Just something to ponder.
It seems to me that this process is certainly getting rushed through, even though the taxpayers have not had any informational meetings with a chance to ask questions. I have a problem with Jay taxpayers being asked to foot 71% of the cost and the other two towns having a combined 29% of the cost while Jay will have less votes on the committee. As Jay will pay the biggest share of the cost, the other two towns can decide to spend any amount they want and we can just pony up the money. It would be so much fairer to pay by a per student amount. Jay taxpayers have spent the money for years to keep our buildings in tip top shape while SAD 36 has done as little as possible to keep their buildings in good repair. Now we are going to be asked to turn all our buildings over to a board that will be run by 7-6 majority, with Jay having only 6 votes. No one can tell us that we are going to save any money beyond the fine the state is charging us. We have been told no positions will be lost. If no positions are lost, and the contracts renegotiated it would seem that Jay taxpayers will be spending more than before. We all know that employees won't take less money than they are now getting, bringing the lower paid employees up to the higher paid positions. If what I have read in the papers is true, losing control of our property, control of what programs are taught, and paying 71% of the cost, just doesn't seem to be a good idea to me.
WE already have one motivational speaker in office in DC. We don't need another one here in Maine. He will just dilute the selection even more and take votes away from serious candidates.
While George Bush may not have been a great president, he was certainly better than that thing that is in office now. He spends all his time flying around either on vacation or campaigning for someone or something. He can't be gone soon enough for this country.
Why do the selectmen have to meet at 7 am to set the tax rate? They should have set it last night as they have had plenty of time to get the figures together. By doing it early in the morning instead of at a regular selectmen's meeting, they won't have many citizens present to ask questions. Other towns have had their tax rate set for a month. One wonders what is going on in Jay.
I believe they are giving back by paying taxes, employing many who would not have jobs if they weren't here and being good stewards of the land. Why is it that if a company is successful, it makes them bad??
So please explain to me how this is fair to the taxpayers in Jay?? If the cost is based on valuation instead of per student, Jay will pay the biggest amount of the cost , leaving Liv Falls and Livermore to get a big break on their education budget. We would be better off to pay the penalty each year than to pay to educate RSU students.
Aparently this is not the first time that has happened in the area as I live on a side road in Jay and while mowing the lawn earlier this summer I was surprised to see a car going past my home with a teenage male on the roof of the car as it was going down the road.
If they are really serious about getting the backing of the taxpayers on this, they will find a way to finance the combined RSU on a per student cost, not valuation. Otherwise the Jay residents will be paying most of the cost of the other towns as well as their own students. That would NOT be fair.
The people who refer to the Tea Party as teabaggers seem to think that if they call them names enough and say hurtfull things about them enough, they will go away. While I am not a member, it would seem that they are only trying to take back our country from the socialist agenda which Washington is trying to cram down our throats. Paul LePage seems to be a breath of fresh air against Libby Mitchell and her "more of the same for Maine" ways. Tron makes fun of Mr Lepage working at his job while the lady with the money is out campaigning. I say good for him. There is plenty of time to get his word out. Go Paul Lepage!!!
It is time to change the direction our wonderful state has been heading . I believe Paul LePage, with his background of business rathur than the Ole boy network of tax and spend liberals will, if he is elected, bring common sense back to Maine. My husband and I changed our voter registration so that we could vote for him. Hopefully he will be our next governor.
What is racist or being a bigot to want the illegal immigration to stop? There are many different nationalities that are illegal and all need to go! Come in legally as so many of our ancestors did with a sponser, place to live and a job to earn a living. What part of illegal don't you folks understand??? Our government is destroying this country by allowing the flood of people to continue to flow in.
It is time to change the representation in Washington. Mike Michaud is only voting the party line, not doing what is good for the people of Maine. Don't demonize this man just because he is GOP. How is that hope and change working for you?
It sounds to me that the dog was protecting the child. While it probably isn't a good idea, it was a common thing to do years ago. Perhaps this couple didn't know it is now illegal to leave a child in the car while running into a store to shop. More should be done to make the public aware of the law.
It would seem to me that for some reason Mr OBrion is doing everything he can to avoid any collaberation with Jay, or as he refers to it "that town north of us". While I am not in favor of complete consolidation, combining the supers offices would seem to be something he and his board should have looked into before rushing to hire a new superintendant. Could the rush have been so they could have a contract signed before the word got out of the offer from Jay??
One wonders why they can't have their meeting either before or after regular hours instead of inconveniencing the residents of the town. I suppose it is another case of not being in their contract!
He needs to stay in Washington and pay attention to the problems in this country and stop campaigning. He doesn't have a clue how to govern and is alienating our friends in other countries. He also needs to stop blameing others as he has made things so much worse than they were 3 years ago before the democrats took control of Washington and vetoed anything the prior administration tried to do.
This is not the fault of the US system. This man needs to take responsibility for his situation and not blame others. This is the problem with lots of folks these days. Jsut blame the country or your neighbors or town. Don't blame yourself.
Angel it might be to your advantage to either read the article throughly or attend the budget meetings before spouting off about and making statements which are not correct. While the selectmen and some of the budget committee are not in favor of keeping the curbside pick-up due to the $350,000. additional cost, it will be put in a separate article so that taypayers can make the decision of keeping it or getting rid of it. There is no place it says voting no means yes. Taxes will go down if it is passed and the recycling cednter will still be there. People will just need to go to the facility themselves when needed or get someone else to take it.
And of course the unionized staff could perhaps delay their raises this year or otherwise come up with some savings there. Perhaps open their contract and give back a little? There is a place everywhere for cost savings.
So now that the worst of the flu epidemic is over, folks will be able to get their shots. I don't think this is very efficient handling of this at all. Just think how great it is going to be when the govt is in charge of our health care. Will we have to wait months for care while they decide who we can see. What a mess.
There is a vehicle in Belgrade at the farm house at the corner of 27 and 8/11 that has Mass plates on it and has had for the 2+ years that it has been there. They changed the plates on the black suburban to maine but not the wife's vehicle. Guess they figure they don't have to change them both but the kids are in school in the district so I would think they are residents.
Just two more sheep that are following the anointed one in ruining our country. Hopefully the country will wake up soon and see what those crooks and fools in Washington are doing to destroy our country. Chellie Pengree is just a rich puppet who is NOT doing what she should for Maine but Mike Michaud should know better.
Why the AARP would endorse a bill that will hurt seniors tells us that we will cancel our membership and no longer support an organization that is supposed to be for seniors but is now showing it's true colors. Hopefully Mike Michaud will NOT support this travesty.
The problem with the dairy industry is very complex. The farmer has to pay full price for everything he purchases while I believe the state controls the price in the store that we pay for dairy products. The middleman still gets his cut, leaving the farmer almost nothing for his product. Al Gore made the statement when he was vice president that our food would all be produced out of the country some day. It looks like it is quickly becoming a reality. God help us all. The federal govt has put controls on what can be used on the land here such as DDT etc. but there is no such control on what is grown elsewhere. We will have NO idea what is in the food we eat.
Lets not blame CMP for the bad decisions of the adults and parent in this disaster. It is my understanding that the little girl didn't even live in the apartment she died in so how could the utility company know a 9 year old girll would be sleeping over with three male adults? Typical of today's world to blame anyone or anything but oneself for things that happen.
What a shame to see one more working farm shut down. It is the same old story of no one being able to continue on when the farmer has to retire. Good luck to the Yeaton's in their retirement.
WEll said Gil. WE certainly do NOT need the government controlling who gets care and who is not worthy of it because of age or disabilities. The young people should realize they have to make choices about where they spend their money and if they feel they want to spend it on other things than health care, that is their choice. The mentality of a lot of citizens in the US is that the government owes them health care, housing, food, etc. Who do they think the government is??? These hand outs are paid for by the people that are working to pay their own way and end up paying for those on the dole and those who think they should be given help from the govt. These washington fools need to be stopped before our country is completely ruined.
So we paid the state 216,000.00 and they returned $193,465.00 and we are supposed to understand this is the same amount? No wonder the state is in trouble! It just keeps getting worse and worse.
What a tragedy! My husband and I have been there several times to eat and he was such a friendly man. He would always come out and visit with the customers. The food was really good and affordable also. Condolences to the family.
Recent Comments
We were told when the
We were told when the consolidation was being forced onto us that there would be room for all the students with the exception of perhaps a couple of portables to use. Now they want a 5 million plus addition with all those extra rooms. They need to realize that people can't afford all those added costs. The town part of the budget has held the line. The school department needs to do the same.
And why should they apply for
And why should they apply for these jobs when they can get all the welfare assistance they want. People have no pride it would seem. We were brought up to work for whatever we could earn until a better job opened up. Welfare is to easy and they can stay home.
So much for consolidation
So much for consolidation saving any money. Now the taxpayers in Jay are paying more than 72 % of the cost of education for all the towns in the district.. Its a wonderful thing for the folks in Livermore and Liv Falls for sure. And they have one more vote on the school board than Jay does so whoope do. They get to spend the money and Jay gets to pay the bill. There is something wrong with this picture.
Excellent article Kalle! I
Excellent article Kalle! I don't always agree with you but on this you are spot on. Mark has been a good coach for the kids and it would sound like an agenda by former SAD 36 folks was definately in play. The feel good idea that all kids get equal time is for AYS--not high school football. To allow parents much input in the program is also a carry over from the little league program. The consolidation was fast tracked through and we are stuck with it but hopefully cooler minds will prevail in the future and small town polotics will not be part of decisions the board makes.
It would appear to me that
It would appear to me that this is just more fallout from the consolidation. Sorry to read this Mark
So what?? This is old news.
So what?? This is old news. It has been reported every day for a week.
I am not running for
I am not running for anything. I did misunderstand what you said. I am also retired and get soooo irritated with the young folks and the imports that are only here to get the free handouts this state is so happy to give them. I worked for $2.00 a week more than unemployment back in the 60's because I didn't want to be on the dole so don't think I have never had a job. I worked many years and have only been retired a little while. My husband and I were in a restaurant a few weeks ago in Augusta and overhear a fellow telling the folks he was with that he had hired a receptionist under the table, paying her 12.50 an hour so that she could still get her unemployment. This is one of the problems but it is never investigated. So I am sorry if you were insulted.
A lot of folks travel that
A lot of folks travel that far to get work. They car pool or take a room in the area for the nights they need to. It sounds like you are just looking for an excuse not to work at a good paying job. Are you saying that you earn more than $250.00 a week on unemployment? There are many people who are working under the table and still getting their unemployment. This isn't right either. You blame the republicans for trying to make changes but the problem has been building for many years and no one wanted to fix it. They just keep pushing it down the road and now the day has come as the money has run out. Any job should be better than none if a person has the opportunity to work. Just saying.
Dan---I would really like you
Dan---I would really like you to explain this supposed wealthy tax cut that you are so quick to tote out each time someone talks about cutting welfare and all these liberal give aways to those with their hand out here in Maine. I say good for Mr Timberlake and the others in Augusta who have had the courage to slow this drain on our state. The next thing I hope they tackle is making it manditory for anyone who wants welfare to make sure they have been here for at least 6 month, perhaps longer before they get help. Then make sure they are actively looking for work each week.
It happens to be school
It happens to be school vacation week I believe!! At least you aren't blaming it on Lepage as you usually do with anything you don't agree with.
I have said many times that
I have said many times that the turnpike is the best road in Maine and it is because of the tolls. Why should tax dollars from people in parts of the state that don't use the road, be used to keep it maintained?? It will become just like the other roads in Maine, not very good. If you don't want to pay--don't use it.
We have used the open road
We have used the open road tolling in other states and it is very efficient. Some folks just don't like change of any kind. I say it is long overdue and if you people that bitch don't like it, or the tolls, don't use the road. It is as simple as that.
My question to you Mr Jones
My question to you Mr Jones is why would the district want to spend much more money than the figures you are quoting for a Jay addition to bring the Livermore Falls High School up to code and to fix all the issues there are with the building??? Many repairs were not done in a timely fashion over the past few years and the building is falling down. Using the middle school in Jay for high school students would be a waste of space as the building is geared to middle school students, not high school. Part of the consolidation was the recommendation that the LF high school would be closed. It still should be done.
I forgot to say for those
I forgot to say for those that don't know that it is just before the bridge in New Auburn in what I believe is the old Andy's baked bean place on Broad St.
My husband and I ate at the
My husband and I ate at the new Firehouse restaurant for the second time tonight. The food was good and the service was good also. It is a locally owned restaurant and we will go back again.
You all seem to forget that
You all seem to forget that Baldachi was elected with a margin less than Governor LePage. Our campaigner in chief in DC has been running since he was elected the first time and expects to raise 1 billion dollars for his re-election run. How many citizens would that help? Governor LePage is doing a good job and I say good for him. Finally a governor that is trying to get costs under control.
We are on single sort here in
We are on single sort here in Jay and it is much easier and the town has saved money.
Yes the republicans have been
Yes the republicans have been on the campaign trail but they are not supposed to be running the country. He should be in Washington trying to get us out of this mess, not having photo opps all over the place at the expense of the taxpayers. Also I think you will find it was Jimmy Carter who had the inflation rate over the top with price controls and interest rates at 18%. I would agree that campaigns are way to long and I for one are sick of seeing all of them on TV-notonly Obama. He should be critized as he is trying to turn this country over to socialism and will if he is reelected. My opinion!!
Dan how can you say what she
Dan how can you say what she is saying is an exageration or a lie? I also find what she is saying to be exactly true. When Obama came into office gas was $1.88 a gallon or thereabouts. It is now in the vacinity of $3.30 a gallon. Our social security is just as she said with no increase in 3 years. It is now going to go up but so also is the medicare. Food costs increase at a weekely rate with everything I buy going up and the size of the packages becoming smaller. What part of the universe are you residing in? Obama spends his time on the campaign trail with no care as to what is happening except his re-election so he can finish his job of distroying this wonderful country as we know it.
The voters turned down the
The voters turned down the Lewiston casino by a huge amount of votes. What part of this don't the casino backers understand? There is going to be a casino a few miles down the road in Oxford. Something else might be done with those buildings in Lewiston that would be productive to the residents of the area.What good does it do to vote on issues if the legislature can just overturn the results when certain special interest groups don't like the results??
And for your information, I
And for your information, I remember reading a story on the front page of the Sun Journal quite a number of years ago which pictured one gentleman and I believe if my memory serves me right eight women and children that the Catholic Charities was bringing to Lewiston and setting up in an apartment. They were asking for donations of warm clothes and so forth as it was in the winter and the folks were not used to snow and cold. It WAS the catholic charities and it was the beginning of what was to come. You can say what you want but I will always blame the catholic charities for the problems we are now encountering. They should not come to the united states without sponsor and jobs as the immigrants that came through Ellis Island did so many years ago.
I know of someone that has 3
I know of someone that has 3 children that were born out of wedlock and have become 4th generation welfare takers. This cycle needs to be stopped. Please leave the elderly who can't take care of themselves alone, and get the leeches who can work and the immigrants who should not be here if they don't have sponsors off the dole. Catholic Charities brought the immigrants here--let them support them.
All the towns lost their
All the towns lost their identity when the consolidation was voted on. There is no Jay High school either. People who thought that was important should have considered it before voting for the consolidation.
This certainly is a much
This certainly is a much different story from what we were told during the consolidation meetings. A year ago we were told that there was room in Jay but they might have to have a few portables to get the students all in. Now they want to build a 16 room addition. It just goes to show that one can't trust the information they are given. With Jay taxpayers paying 71 % of the cost, this surely will impact taxes in one of the three towns.
Thank you Mr Poliquin for
Thank you Mr Poliquin for trying to bring the costs of the Maine housing units back into reality. Dale McCormick and the others who have been blowing taxpayers money while lining the pockets of the developers need to be brought to a hault. It has been so many years that no one has cared how much money has been spent. Gov Lepage and his department heads are trying to stop the bleeding. I say THANK YOU!!! If the cost to rehab these buildings is so much, don't rehab them. Let private developers do it at their peril. Enough is enough!!!
I just made cranberry relish
I just made cranberry relish for Thanksgiving dinner with Ricker Hill cranberries. They were so big and firm. Isn't it nice to be able to find them locally??
So much for consolidation!!
So much for consolidation!! Why are we segregating the two units and offering different grading requirements, different trip opportunities and many other things which should be the same. Why are the students going on a school day. Are the teachers who go paid for their days off as well as paying for the subs? As long as two campuses are maintained there will never be consolidtion.
They just keep adding and
They just keep adding and adding positions. Where is the savings we were told we would get from the consolidation???
And so it begins. Jay's
And so it begins. Jay's taxrate increases by .50 and Livermore's decreases. Isn't school consolidation wonderful???
It doesn't matter what he
It doesn't matter what he does. Some of you won't give him any credit. Why don't you find something else to bitch about????? After a while your same old tune gets tiresome. If you take the time, you can find many things he and his administration has done to make Maine better and it has only been 6 months.
This should go before the
This should go before the voters in a regular town meeting, not a vote of the selectmen at a monday night meeting with only the people who want the money packing the room. As noted this money for the tennis courts was voted down a few years ago.
We have been let to believe
We have been let to believe that the high school building in Livermore Falls would be closed after this next year because they had a big gov't grant that they wanted the chance to use up. Are they now leaning towards keeping that building open? Will the deception never end? That the supers would want to set up a program that would let students choose what building they want to attend would leave the impression that is what is going on.
Isn't that wonderful!! The
Isn't that wonderful!! The taxpayers in Jay are paying 72.51per cent of the cost to educate all the children in RSU 73. What a deal for SAD 36, And Dr Wall keeps adding more and more money to the total. When will it end? This is supposed to be a good deal for Jay?? What a joke.
The DOT should NOT be given
The DOT should NOT be given any money from the turnpike. They will just throw it away on welfare programs as they have done with other money that was supposed to go to the roads. Leave the money from tolls in their budget and reduce the tolls if there is an access.
There are many teens that do
There are many teens that do nothing but roam the street in the evenings. This will give them a better chance to put that time to better use. Those that want to study or take part in school activities will. There needs to be more emphasis on work ethics instead of the entitlement mentality that has developed over the years. Finally some common sense is coming out of Augusta.
Once again a recommended cut
Once again a recommended cut is not implimented by one of the committees. Just load them up folks. We were told that this consolidation was going to save money but each time one of the supers recommends cutting an un-needed postion or two, it doesn't happen. Now the taxpayers don't even have a chance to review the budget and recommend changes. The only thing that can be done is to vote no on the whole budget.
I agree! I use the turnpike
I agree! I use the turnpike quite frequently and don't mind paying for the use of it as it is the best road in the state. I do NOT want the tolls to be used by the state for other projects as pretty soon they will be rolling it into the general fund and raising the tolls to pay for all their pet projects, perhaps not even roads. Leave the toll money in place to pay for upkeep and improvements on the turnpike.
This project is long overdue.
This project is long overdue. Thanks to all who have made this happen.
Good for Paul LePage. By
Good for Paul LePage. By having the murals moved on the weekend, it was a much safer invironment for all involved. Now perhaps everyone will be able to focus on more important issues. I am willing to bet that all the folks posting their hate on these forums didn't even know that the murals existed until the liberal media and the union organizers got them all whipped up.
Combining the school systems
Combining the school systems is a done deal and nothing can be done about it. The teams should be combined as the district will be one after July 1st. Everything else should be combined also but it would seem that combining the high schools is still being resisted. What will happen remains to be seen.
The combining of the two
The combining of the two school systems was sold to us as cost saving and best for the two communities. Now folks are trying to keep the high schools separate so more sports teams can be had. That is NOT what we were told would happen but it looks like the powers that be want the best of both worlds. Just another instance of not being told the truth???
Finally someone has made
Finally someone has made sense out of the comparisons between private and public sector retirement plans.
I see nothing wrong with 16
I see nothing wrong with 16 year olds working 32 hours a week. When I was in high school I worked 3-11 every night in a restaurant and went to school days and it was not a problem. It would seem that if young people were allowed to work while in school they would be able to develop a good work ethic and perhaps not have so much time to get into trouble and drugs.
If this is to be a combined
If this is to be a combined unit, called RSU 73, why would NOT combining all the kids into one team even be considered? This process is supposed to save money and add programs "for the children". Now folks are trying to find ways to not combine them into one unit. How could the MPA allow two teams from one unit in any of the sports? It would seem that change is hard for some. The high school and middle school in Liv Falls should be closed as we were led to believe and classes combined in Jay.
I was in Auburn yesterday
I was in Auburn yesterday afternoon. A young fellow in a pick-up couldn't seem to go fast enough, excellerating past me and swerving into the snowbank on Center St and fishtailing up the road to the next light. These young hot rodders seem to think they should be able to go as fast as when the roads are dry and clear with summer conditions. Drivers need to slow down in the winter.
It doesn't matter what Paul
It doesn't matter what Paul LePage does, the Dems and liberals don't like it. Leave him alone and let him have a chance to get this state straightenend out. It can't get any worse and might even get better. Lets see the Sun write some positive stories about what is being done, not all negative. Your bias is showing.
Nothing is being said about
Nothing is being said about closing the Liv Falls High school but that was also recommended by the reorganization committee. During the 3 informational meetings all the presenters wanted to do was sugar coat the issues. They didn't want to talk about the disadvantages of the consolidation. Once the Jay taxpayers lose control of all the property we have kept in top condition all these years it will be gone forever. If the Liv Falls high school isn't closed, we will pay to repair all the issues that have been let go for years. Sure Liv Falls might pay the difference to keep it open but does that also include all the repairs that will need to be done? I don't think so. People need to wake up and really look at the whole picture, not just what Dr Wall and Mary Redmond Luce want us to see. This is supposed to save us money to consolidate but Dr Wall admitted at the info meeting in Jay that it would in fact cost us more.
If the towns vote to
If the towns vote to consolidate, there is no directive to close any buildings, consolidate any classes, or lose any positions. Closing the high school and middle school building in Livermore Falls is only a recommendation. Jay would give away all the real estate and land to the RSU and would lose it forever. The AYS could lose their use of the land their building is setting on as well as the rooms they use in the community building as there is no reference to any of that in the article. Yes there need to be some changes made but I do not believe giving up Jay property and all control over the education of our children is the answer. It will not save any movey and in fact could cost much more. People should really think about voting on an article that really does not tell us anything about what is going to happen.
If you had been at the
If you had been at the meeting last night you would have more information about the single sort program. There is going to be 2 informational meetings on Jan 18th that will explain what you can and cannot put in the recycle and what can be put in the clear bags. One will be in the afternoon at 2pm and 1 at 6 pm so that all who want to go will be able to. To say that just because a few dumpsters will now not be picked up by the town will make the town messy is just foolish. The town will still pick up trash at the businesses that have dumpsters, they can hire a private hauler, or can go to the Jay landfill themselves. The selectmen are working hard to find ways to save tax dollars and should be commended. As it is now, all taxpayers are subsidizing the few dumpsters. This will level the playing field for all. As far as clear bags are concerned, yes they have been picked up but the new ordinance which they are working to update
will give the landfill employees more teeth with which to enforce the ordinance. The town will have information available for all to read and understand what is expected.
There should be a stop light
There should be a stop light by the Hannaford as the traffic drives by there so fast.
How ridiculous these coments
How ridiculous these coments are. Paul LePage was elected by as big a margin as Baldachi was and deserves a chance to straighten this sorry mess Maine is in out. The fact that he hired his daughter or that she will live in the Blaine house makes no difference in the general scheme of things and hopefully he will get all the issues going in a better direction.
And the good folks of
And the good folks of Livermore Falls want to do away with the police department??? With all the crime and issues, they will expect the Jay PD to help them out as they won't be able to get a sheriff there whenever they need them. Just another way the Jay taxpayers will be subsidizing the Livermore Falls residents. First the schools, then the police dept. Just something to ponder.
It seems to me that this
It seems to me that this process is certainly getting rushed through, even though the taxpayers have not had any informational meetings with a chance to ask questions. I have a problem with Jay taxpayers being asked to foot 71% of the cost and the other two towns having a combined 29% of the cost while Jay will have less votes on the committee. As Jay will pay the biggest share of the cost, the other two towns can decide to spend any amount they want and we can just pony up the money. It would be so much fairer to pay by a per student amount. Jay taxpayers have spent the money for years to keep our buildings in tip top shape while SAD 36 has done as little as possible to keep their buildings in good repair. Now we are going to be asked to turn all our buildings over to a board that will be run by 7-6 majority, with Jay having only 6 votes. No one can tell us that we are going to save any money beyond the fine the state is charging us. We have been told no positions will be lost. If no positions are lost, and the contracts renegotiated it would seem that Jay taxpayers will be spending more than before. We all know that employees won't take less money than they are now getting, bringing the lower paid employees up to the higher paid positions. If what I have read in the papers is true, losing control of our property, control of what programs are taught, and paying 71% of the cost, just doesn't seem to be a good idea to me.
WE already have one
WE already have one motivational speaker in office in DC. We don't need another one here in Maine. He will just dilute the selection even more and take votes away from serious candidates.
It would appear that no
It would appear that no matter what the change, the Jay residents object, even if it will save some money and probably be more efficient.
While George Bush may not
While George Bush may not have been a great president, he was certainly better than that thing that is in office now. He spends all his time flying around either on vacation or campaigning for someone or something. He can't be gone soon enough for this country.
Why do the selectmen have to
Why do the selectmen have to meet at 7 am to set the tax rate? They should have set it last night as they have had plenty of time to get the figures together. By doing it early in the morning instead of at a regular selectmen's meeting, they won't have many citizens present to ask questions. Other towns have had their tax rate set for a month. One wonders what is going on in Jay.
I believe they are giving
I believe they are giving back by paying taxes, employing many who would not have jobs if they weren't here and being good stewards of the land. Why is it that if a company is successful, it makes them bad??
So please explain to me how
So please explain to me how this is fair to the taxpayers in Jay?? If the cost is based on valuation instead of per student, Jay will pay the biggest amount of the cost , leaving Liv Falls and Livermore to get a big break on their education budget. We would be better off to pay the penalty each year than to pay to educate RSU students.
Aparently this is not the
Aparently this is not the first time that has happened in the area as I live on a side road in Jay and while mowing the lawn earlier this summer I was surprised to see a car going past my home with a teenage male on the roof of the car as it was going down the road.
If they are really serious
If they are really serious about getting the backing of the taxpayers on this, they will find a way to finance the combined RSU on a per student cost, not valuation. Otherwise the Jay residents will be paying most of the cost of the other towns as well as their own students. That would NOT be fair.
If they have any extra, don't
If they have any extra, don't forget those fools in Augusta will spend it all!!
The people who refer to the
The people who refer to the Tea Party as teabaggers seem to think that if they call them names enough and say hurtfull things about them enough, they will go away. While I am not a member, it would seem that they are only trying to take back our country from the socialist agenda which Washington is trying to cram down our throats. Paul LePage seems to be a breath of fresh air against Libby Mitchell and her "more of the same for Maine" ways. Tron makes fun of Mr Lepage working at his job while the lady with the money is out campaigning. I say good for him. There is plenty of time to get his word out. Go Paul Lepage!!!
It is time to change the
It is time to change the direction our wonderful state has been heading . I believe Paul LePage, with his background of business rathur than the Ole boy network of tax and spend liberals will, if he is elected, bring common sense back to Maine. My husband and I changed our voter registration so that we could vote for him. Hopefully he will be our next governor.
What is racist or being a
What is racist or being a bigot to want the illegal immigration to stop? There are many different nationalities that are illegal and all need to go! Come in legally as so many of our ancestors did with a sponser, place to live and a job to earn a living. What part of illegal don't you folks understand??? Our government is destroying this country by allowing the flood of people to continue to flow in.
There is nothing more
There is nothing more annoying than to have to listen to someone's dog barking.
And what would be the sense
And what would be the sense of consolidating if the towns were to keep all the schools. I thought the reason to consolidate was to cut costs.
It is time to change the
It is time to change the representation in Washington. Mike Michaud is only voting the party line, not doing what is good for the people of Maine. Don't demonize this man just because he is GOP. How is that hope and change working for you?
It sounds to me that the dog
It sounds to me that the dog was protecting the child. While it probably isn't a good idea, it was a common thing to do years ago. Perhaps this couple didn't know it is now illegal to leave a child in the car while running into a store to shop. More should be done to make the public aware of the law.
It would seem to me that for
It would seem to me that for some reason Mr OBrion is doing everything he can to avoid any collaberation with Jay, or as he refers to it "that town north of us". While I am not in favor of complete consolidation, combining the supers offices would seem to be something he and his board should have looked into before rushing to hire a new superintendant. Could the rush have been so they could have a contract signed before the word got out of the offer from Jay??
One wonders why they can't
One wonders why they can't have their meeting either before or after regular hours instead of inconveniencing the residents of the town. I suppose it is another case of not being in their contract!
He needs to stay in
He needs to stay in Washington and pay attention to the problems in this country and stop campaigning. He doesn't have a clue how to govern and is alienating our friends in other countries. He also needs to stop blameing others as he has made things so much worse than they were 3 years ago before the democrats took control of Washington and vetoed anything the prior administration tried to do.
This is not the fault of the
This is not the fault of the US system. This man needs to take responsibility for his situation and not blame others. This is the problem with lots of folks these days. Jsut blame the country or your neighbors or town. Don't blame yourself.
One has to wonder why the 12
One has to wonder why the 12 year old wasn't in school. Wasn't it a school day?
Angel it might be to your
Angel it might be to your advantage to either read the article throughly or attend the budget meetings before spouting off about and making statements which are not correct. While the selectmen and some of the budget committee are not in favor of keeping the curbside pick-up due to the $350,000. additional cost, it will be put in a separate article so that taypayers can make the decision of keeping it or getting rid of it. There is no place it says voting no means yes. Taxes will go down if it is passed and the recycling cednter will still be there. People will just need to go to the facility themselves when needed or get someone else to take it.
An excellent idea thats time
An excellent idea. The time has come to cut back in Jay.
One wonders what brought him
One wonders what brought him to Livermore Falls from Mass. It would seem like there would be more jobs there.
And of course the unionized
And of course the unionized staff could perhaps delay their raises this year or otherwise come up with some savings there. Perhaps open their contract and give back a little? There is a place everywhere for cost savings.
So now that the worst of the
So now that the worst of the flu epidemic is over, folks will be able to get their shots. I don't think this is very efficient handling of this at all. Just think how great it is going to be when the govt is in charge of our health care. Will we have to wait months for care while they decide who we can see. What a mess.
Lots of children will be
Lots of children will be happy that they will again be able to ski locally. A big thank you to whoever made this happen.
Just what we need. Another
Just what we need. Another community organizer in charge. The one in Washington is more than enough.
There is a vehicle in
There is a vehicle in Belgrade at the farm house at the corner of 27 and 8/11 that has Mass plates on it and has had for the 2+ years that it has been there. They changed the plates on the black suburban to maine but not the wife's vehicle. Guess they figure they don't have to change them both but the kids are in school in the district so I would think they are residents.
Just two more sheep that are
Just two more sheep that are following the anointed one in ruining our country. Hopefully the country will wake up soon and see what those crooks and fools in Washington are doing to destroy our country. Chellie Pengree is just a rich puppet who is NOT doing what she should for Maine but Mike Michaud should know better.
Why the AARP would endorse a
Why the AARP would endorse a bill that will hurt seniors tells us that we will cancel our membership and no longer support an organization that is supposed to be for seniors but is now showing it's true colors. Hopefully Mike Michaud will NOT support this travesty.
The problem with the dairy
The problem with the dairy industry is very complex. The farmer has to pay full price for everything he purchases while I believe the state controls the price in the store that we pay for dairy products. The middleman still gets his cut, leaving the farmer almost nothing for his product. Al Gore made the statement when he was vice president that our food would all be produced out of the country some day. It looks like it is quickly becoming a reality. God help us all. The federal govt has put controls on what can be used on the land here such as DDT etc. but there is no such control on what is grown elsewhere. We will have NO idea what is in the food we eat.
The important thing is to
The important thing is to make sure that this agreement doesn't cost the Jay taxpayers anythiing.
Lets not blame CMP for the
Lets not blame CMP for the bad decisions of the adults and parent in this disaster. It is my understanding that the little girl didn't even live in the apartment she died in so how could the utility company know a 9 year old girll would be sleeping over with three male adults? Typical of today's world to blame anyone or anything but oneself for things that happen.
What a shame to see one more
What a shame to see one more working farm shut down. It is the same old story of no one being able to continue on when the farmer has to retire. Good luck to the Yeaton's in their retirement.
WEll said Gil. WE certainly
WEll said Gil. WE certainly do NOT need the government controlling who gets care and who is not worthy of it because of age or disabilities. The young people should realize they have to make choices about where they spend their money and if they feel they want to spend it on other things than health care, that is their choice. The mentality of a lot of citizens in the US is that the government owes them health care, housing, food, etc. Who do they think the government is??? These hand outs are paid for by the people that are working to pay their own way and end up paying for those on the dole and those who think they should be given help from the govt. These washington fools need to be stopped before our country is completely ruined.
Where is the quilt supply
Where is the quilt supply store in downtown LF?
So we paid the state
So we paid the state 216,000.00 and they returned $193,465.00 and we are supposed to understand this is the same amount? No wonder the state is in trouble! It just keeps getting worse and worse.
What a tragedy! My husband
What a tragedy! My husband and I have been there several times to eat and he was such a friendly man. He would always come out and visit with the customers. The food was really good and affordable also. Condolences to the family.
I thought we voted this down
I thought we voted this down once before. They just don't give up do they?