This is in response to Scott Smith’s letter, printed July 16, that was in response to my letter of July 14.

I did refer to Maine Energy System’s boiler as a stove. In referring to Webster’s Dictionary, it is noted that a boiler may be called a stove if it is used to heat a room.

I did not say that Les Otten imported his workers. I do hope that after Otten trained his workers that he paid them for doing skilled labor.

I did not say that Otten and his workers constructed Sunday River. Smith wrote, “the materials and workers in the construction of Sunday River were not imported.” That implies that Smith believes Otten and his workers constructed Sunday River. The community adjacent to Sunday River Ski Area is named Sunday River. It was there before the ski area was developed.

It is obvious Smith did not see trucks from Canada arriving with lumber, lumber that was not local. It is not legal for a truck with Canadian registration to pick up a product in the U.S. and deliver it to another location in the U.S. That regulation protects the U.S. trucking industry.

The intent of my first letter was to communicate to Otten’s exploratory committee. In hindsight, I realize I should not have used a letter to the Sun Journal to do that.

I do not like political bickering and will not publicly discuss this subject again.

Daniel Cole, Auburn

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