The death three years ago of foster child Logan Marr, 5, at the hands of state foster parent Sally Schofield has not been forgotten.

One result was the creation of a Children’s Ombudsman Program in the Executive Department that gives foster children and families a way to have someone check out their concerns. The new office has worked well, but some lawmakers including Rep. Thomas Shields, R-Auburn, want it to become an independent office.

Others say that move should wait. The state will be merging the departments of Department of Human Services and Behavioral Developmental Services, at which time all ombudsman programs will be reviewed, said Rep. Thomas Kane, D-Saco.

On the floor last week Kane pushed to kill LD 73, a bill to make the office independent.

Shields argued to keep the bill alive. Children in foster care and families need help “so they can cope with the bullies in those departments. They need help understanding the rules. They also need assurance the rules and regulations are being interpreted correctly,” he said.

There’s been a movement to fold advocacy programs into the restructured Health and Human Services Department, which will control DHS and BDS, he said, which “would be putting the fox in charge of the henhouse.”

Rep. Julie O’Brien, R-Augusta, agreed. She was on the committee that reviewed the foster care system after Marr was killed. One message heard was that DHS lacked accountability and families fear retaliation, O’Brien said. “This is exactly why this office needs to be far away as possible from DHS.”

After debate the House voted 73-64 against killing the bill to make the office independent. The same day the House held an initial vote to make the office independent. More votes will follow.

Governor OKs beer on golf course

On Monday he said he was undecided, torn. The next day Gov. John Baldacci apparently found clarity and signed into law a bill to allow beer sales from beverage carts on golf courses.

After listening to arguments on both sides, Baldacci said beer on the greens is needed to allow Maine golf courses to compete on a level playing field with neighboring states.

“It is important that we support Maine small businesses with tools that allow them to be competitive and to create new jobs,” the governor said. No beer during golf is costing the state “hundreds of thousands of dollars” with out-of-state conventions bypassing Maine, he said. Beer during the game is that important to some.

Baldacci vowed to closely monitor the new law to ensure the public won’t be hurt by drinking golfers.

Looking for WWI vets

Rep. Elaine Makas, D-Lewiston, and other members of the Lewiston delegation want to know if there are any living World War I veterans in the area. It may be unlikely given that a WWI veteran would have to be at least 100 years, Makas said. Last year there were only four known living WWI vets in Maine. If there are more, lawmakers want to honor them, Makas said. Anyone who knows of a living WWI veteran can leave a message for Makas at 287-1400.

Quote of the week: “We don’t want to roll this over to faceless bureaucrats who will likely take the easy way out and put it under DHS.” – Rep. Thomas Shields, R-Auburn, speaking in favor of an independent ombudsman’s office for children in foster care.

– Bonnie Washuk is the Sun Journal State House reporter