Welcome
to another wonderful holiday season and Happy New
Year to you all.
This year certainly has been packed full of news and
surprises and terrific community spirit. The fantastic
projects completed by hard working volunteers, such
as a successful Little League and football season,
arts performances, the Science Fairs and Holiday Fairs
and more are testament to the gusto with which the
people in the communities of Gray and New Gloucester
commit their energies, all in efforts to make our
lives better.
The surprises were many this year in the political
and municipal arenas. We had a lot of incumbents declining
to run for office and some outright quitting, new
blood being elected to our Boards in Gray and New
Gloucester as well as the MSAD 15 School Board, and
new people stepping up to volunteer on committees.
Pennell was the year's winner for issue occupying
the most attention, with Gray Zoning coming a close
second. The issue that isn't even real occupied a
lot of attention, too, the ever illusory Village Bypass,
which, we were told two weeks ago, the construction
timeline has slipped again and the bids for spring
construction haven't even gone out yet.
New initiatives have been started, such as the Gray
Downtown Revitalization Ad Hoc Committee, rewriting
the Town's ordinances, adding a Fiscal Policy to Gray's
policies and changing the Charter to include citizens
on the Finance Committee and changing the Town Annual
Meeting date, New Gloucester's Transfer of Development
Rights and their Long Range economic plan and long
range facilities plan, including the successful purchase
of land for an expanded fire station/municipal complex.
Good job, everyone.
The Monument says thank you to all who have served
in civic capacities this year, thanks to all who have
run for office and are currently serving, and deep
and grateful thanks to our advertisers.
Remember that the season is not about stuff, but about
families, people, and love, things that truly make
the world go around.
We are not publishing on Thursday, December 29, so
we will see you in the New Year!
