News
Briefs
Cumberland County approves Sheriff's contract
for Gray-New Gloucester High School: At their meeting
on May 10, 2004, Cumberland County Commissioners voted
to sign a contract with Gray-New Gloucester High School
for a sum of $44,156.65 for the school year that runs
from September 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. This
contract is for 175 days at 8 hours per day, and is
an increase of 4.2% over the previous year. To help
SAD15 reduce costs, there is no scheduled relief for
the deputy's benefit time taken off, such as vacation,
sick or personal time, or holidays. If the deputy
is out on benefit time, the position will not be filled
with another deputy. But if the deputy is out for
a long period of time, another deputy will be provided.
New Gloucester may consider a Mass Gathering Ordinance
New Gloucester Town Manager Rosemary Kulow reported
to the Board of Selectmen on the need to consider
adopting a Mass Gathering Ordinance. Two large gatherings
are planned there in the next few months. On June
25-27, the Blue Grass Festival will be held at Thompson's
Orchard.
About 4,000 people are expected to attend. In September,
Irving Oil will be hosting a lobster feed at Pineland,
and 1,800 people are expected to attend that function.
Being notified of these two events has prompted the
New Gloucester Fire Chief to contemplate the demand
on emergency services and whether sponsors of these
types of events should be charged for extra services.
Kulow obtained a Mass Gathering Ordinance that the
Town of Sebago adopted a while ago that the Selectmen
could use as a model for New Gloucester, in addition
to a few other ordinances for Selectmen review. Kulow
said that such an ordinance would help define the
requirements for these types of events.
Although the issue is not a high priority at this
time, the preliminary review will give Selectmen an
idea as to whether the pursue the issue further, Kulow
said.
CEDC
looking at conference center/restaurant idea
Town of Gray Community Economic Development Committee
(CEDC) meets on Wednesdays each month (call 657-3339
for details as to meetings.) The Committee meets monthly
and often invites speakers to discuss development
ideas and initatives. Here is a sample of what the
CECD has been working on lately. If interested in
becoming a member of the committee, ask for a application
for volunteer membership at town office and fill it
out. New members are welcome.
Agenda, Wednesday, June 16, 2004.
7:00 Call to Order
7:05 Review Meeting Highlights & Welcome Guests
7:10 Guest Speaker: Christina Sklarz-Libby, State
Dept. of Community & Economic Development
8:00 Public Hearing & Citizen Comment and Decision
on Proposed Community Development Block Grant for
Downtown Revitalization
8:30 Development Updates (Dick Cahill)
8:15 Current Initiatives: Conference Center/Restaurant
8:40 Other Initiatives Under Review
9:00 Adjourn
Governor
Comments on Question 1 Vote
AUGUSTA - Governor John E. Baldacci commented this
week on the vote to adopt Question 1, noting that
he will proceed with its implementation.
On Tuesday, June 8 the people of Maine voted to adopt
Question 1, the 'School Finance Act of 2003.' The
result is that State resources will pay 55% of the
cost of K-12 education. In addition, as required in
Question 1, those in Augusta will develop a plan to
create incentives to reduce government spending at
the state and local level, and thereby decrease Maine's
overall tax burden, the Governor stated.
The Governor said that Question 1 is not without its
challenges. While Question 1 sets a target for education
funding, State government does not now have sufficient
revenues to implement the initiative. Accordingly,
the State will be challenged to find an equitable
way to appropriate the necessary funds, while protecting
vital services and avoiding an even greater burden
on Maine taxpayers.
$500,000
in Maine AmeriCorps Grants Announced for 2004-2005
cycle
LEWISTON, Maine - The Maine Commission for Community
Service (MCCS) announced today that it will award
four AmeriCorps grants totaling $500,000 for the 2004-2005
program cycle. The four programs receiving funding
were recognized for their planned impact on Maine's
communities in the areas of youth services, emergency
response and disaster preparedness, rural health care,
environmental education, and community sustainability.
Training Resource Center will receive a $375,395
grant with partial funding already occurring in 2003-2004
to help fund the Community Resource Corps and Emergency
Response Corps. Community Resource Corps' 14 AmeriCorps
members will help recruit, train, and manage youth
volunteers in community service and service learning
activities as well as address the issue of hunger
in the Greater Portland area.
The Emergency Response Corps' 7 Members will assist
in recruiting EMT and firefighter volunteers in Franklin
County and potentially Cumberland County. In addition,
members will work to inform the public about emergency
response and disaster preparedness. Sites are located
in Durham, Portland, Wiscasset, Standish, Bath/Brunswick,
Poland, Gorham, and Lincoln County.
Maine Primary Care Association's Maine Rural Health
Corps AmeriCorps Program will receive a $127,996
grant to help fund 10 AmeriCorps who will serve in
community based organizations with the primary function
of assisting those organizations in integrating primary
care with other healthy community and prevention collaborations.
They will address health care in the areas of mental
health, tobacco and drug abuse, and family violence.
Members will be placed in Eagle Lake/Fort Kent, Harrington,
various sites through Western Maine, Island Falls,
Eastport and Skowhegan.
Maine Conservation Corps supported by the Bureau
of Employment Services and Maine Department of Labor
will receive a grant for $87,500 to fund 12.5 AmeriCorps
that will provide environmental education in and out
of schools, assist with resource protection activities,
community outreach, and volunteer recruitment. Their
program will address Maine's need to minimize environmental
pollution and focus on environmental protection problems
identified by communities. Site locations are statewide.
Island Institute Fellows Program will receive
a $12,000 grant to provide 12 fellows with educational
awards for their service in working with local residents
of Maine's island communities. Fellows located throughout
Maine's 15 Island communities will work to identify
local priorities ranging from natural resource mapping,
website development, marine resources research, community
comprehensive planning, arts and theater education,
and community and school libraries.
To learn more about the Maine Commission for Community
Service please see the website at www.maineservicecommission.gov
or contact the Commission at 287-8931 or service.commission@maine.gov.
Maine
Launches Statewide Animal Disaster Program
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Agriculture, Maine
Emergency Management Agency, Maine Veterinary Medical
Association and the University of Maine Cooperative
Extension Service have partnered to launch a statewide
initiative aimed at preventing and responding to animal
related disasters in Maine.
The kick-off, a State Animal Emergency Management
Training and Planning Summit, will be held June 14
and 15 at the Senator Inn in Augusta. Meeting participants
include leadership from police, fire, public health,
animal control, veterinary medicine, agriculture,
equine professions, animal welfare, humane societies
and shelters, and other stakeholders.
Recognizing the need to prepare for a cohesive and
effective approach to animal related disaster events,
including natural disasters as well as bio-terrorism
and animal diseases, these key agencies have committed
to an effort to establish a statewide response team.
The process is being facilitated by representatives
of the North Carolina State Animal Response Team who
received a $250,000 grant from the United States Department
of Agriculture to replicate its system of managing
animal emergencies in other states. The SART model
was selected because of its established track record
and because it is supported by the USDA according
to Shelley Doak, Director, Division of Animal Health
and Industry.
The program is designed as a public-private partnership
to integrategovernment, as well as non-profit agencies
and veterinary practitioners, for unified preparation
and response for animal emergencies.
More information about the NCSART may be found at
www.ncsart.org or for information about the local
effort contact Shelley Doak, 287-7610 or Dr. Elizabeth
Stone, Maine Program Coordinator, 688-2219.
State
Regulators Revoke Bridgton Loan Broker's License
Augusta, Maine: Maine mortgage regulators today revoked
the loan broker license held by Rockland Financial,
LLC of Bridgton, citing a lack of financial responsibility,
the making of a material misrepresentation to regulators
and failure to respond to regulatory communications,
including failure to obey a subpoena to appear at
the license revocation hearing.
In an order issued Wednesday, Will Lund, director
of the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation, wrote
that evidence presented at a June 11 hearing demonstrated
that "Rockland Financial, LLC and its president,
Jordan Fox, do not meet the requirements of Maine's
Credit Services Organizations law, which mandates
that companies be operated in a manner that demonstrates
financial responsibility and appropriate character
and fitness." The order prohibits Rockland Financial
from submitting a new application for registration
for 90 days.
According to the order, Rockland Financial ordered
two appraisals in 2003 and then failed to pay for
the work completed. When contacted about the debt,
Fox represented to state regulators that the invoice
had been paid and provided the state with a copy of
a check allegedly paid to the appraiser. That check
later bounced, according to Lund, because Fox had
written the draft on a closed account.
According to the order, Rockland Financial also failed
to correct consumer disclosure form deficiencies and
failed to pay a state invoice following a routine
compliance exam in 2003, until Fox was threatened
with the scheduling of a disciplinary hearing. The
company's 2004 license application was submitted one
month late, according to records, and it paid an administrative
fine at that time.
Records on file with the Maine Secretary of State's
corporation division show that Rockland Financial,
LLC is currently "Not in good standing."
In addition, according to Lund, Fox failed to show
up at the June 11, 2004, license revocation hearing
despite being served in hand by a sheriff's deputy
with a subpoena to compel his attendance.
The order prohibits Rockland Financial from accepting
any new customers, and requires the company to submit
a plan to transfer existing business to another broker
within 45 days.
Under Maine law, Rockland Financial has 30 days to
appeal the order.
The order can be found on the Consumer Credit Regulation
Office Web site at:
www.state.me.us/pfr/ccp/Enforcement/ROCKLAND.doc
The Office of Consumer Credit Regulation is part of
the Department of Professional & Financial Regulation,
whose mission is to protect Maine consumers and encourage
sound ethical business practices through high quality,
impartial and efficient regulation of insurers, financial
institutions and numerous professions and occupations.
New Gloucester/Minot daughter serving in Iraq
Army Pvt. Angela G. Purcell is a member of the 545th
Military Police Company from Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas,
who has deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom II.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom II, U.S. armed forces
members and coalition forces' operational mission
objectives are focused on peacekeeping, stabilization,
security and counter-insurgency operations as the
Iraqi Governing Council assumes full sovereign powers
to govern the peoples of Iraq.
Purcell is a common ground station operator normally
assigned to the 312thMilitary Intelligence Battalion,
Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas.
She is the daughter of Louise A. Cote of Harris Road,
Minot, Maine, and John C. Purcell III of Bald Hill
Road, New Gloucester, Maine.
The private is a 2002 graduate of Edward Little High
School, Auburn, Maine.
