Letters to the Editor

To the voters and the community of Gray,

Thank you for voting on Tuesday and for your support in my run for Gray Town Council. I'll do my best to merit the confidence you've placed in me. I hope that you will feel comfortable enough to speak to me or the other Councilors if you have some insight or a problem that comes up. Please don't discount the importance of your views on the issues; the more information we as a Council have before making a decision the better. Again, thank you.

Denise Duda, Gray Town Councilor

Dear Folks,

I applaud the President of the Libra Foundation, Mr. Owen Wells, in his efforts to bring the 120th National Holstein Convention to Pineland Farms on June 24th - 28th, 2005. The last time this convention was held in New England was in 1985. What an honor for this convention to come to Maine for the first time ever! Pineland Farms' stock represents the oldest continuous Holstein Herd in the United States originating from the Merrill's Springvale Farm, Gray, in the mid 1800's and then the WilsonDale Farm, Gray! This area has a strong heritage for farming and is also home to Lowell "Brookie" Brookings, one of the first farmers trained in 1939 in New Jersey in conjunction with the Maine Breeding Co-op to initiate artificial insemination practices in this state.

Through more exposure to Pineland Farms, the Equestrian Center, Collyer Brook Farm, YMCA, trail systems, Conference Center and Commons our state is fast becoming very familiar with the dramatically restored Pineland Campus of the 21st century. It will soon be second nature to turn to Pineland Farms and Campus facility's to utilize farming, recreational and varied educational opportunities for the people of our district.

With its extensive holdings within the towns of Gray-New Gloucester our region can be proud to have such a great neighbor. We look forward to guests from around the globe knowing that a visit to the facilities will leave a lasting impression of Yankee innovation and ingenuity, both renowned "Maine" characteristics.

Pineland Farms and the host communities of Gray-New Gloucester have the opportunity to showcase this Maine farming facility and connect with breeders and buyers from markets outside Maine to enhance our dairy business. We wish Pineland Farms and the National Holstein Convention every success in this maiden milestone for Maine's farming community!

Sincerely,
Susan W. Austin, State Representative

To the Citizens of Gray,

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all the Citizens of Gray that voted last Tuesday and especially those of you that voted for me as a town councilor. I am looking forward to the task.

Andy Upham, Gray

To the Editor:

When I left the Newbegin Center on Tuesday, I remarked to my husband that I had OK'ed the MSAD 15 budget as the questions were so long and confusing, especially with two preschoolers preoccupying me. Shame on me!

He asked if I had OK'ed the money for all day daycare. I realized that I had mistakenly. However, I rested assured thinking that even if I OK'ed the budget for all day kindergarten, the citizens of Gray had voted down all day kindergarten last November, so passing the budget was not the equivalent of passing all day kindergarten. I was sadly mistaken again when I read The Monument on Thursday and realized that passing the budget was the equivalent of passing all day kindergarten. This seems very sneaky to me.

If I am now going to be paying for all day kindergarten, I hope that MSAD 15 provides a half day option for those children who do not need remedial work. A half day of kindergarten is not going to make up for the developmental differences in 5 year olds who have the starting fundamentals of reading and writing established by their parents vs. those children who are missing those skills. The only way that gap would be bridged is if the government raises all children from birth.

Heather Maines, Gray