News Briefs

Locals meet with Governor
Topic: Art and the Environment

If you visited The Gallery at Maine Wildlife Park, last summer, you know this was an experiment conducted by the park in conjunction with the Western Oxford Foothills Cultural Council or WOF, which sponsors The Gallery. Right, L to R: Pat Chandler, Governor Baldacci, Henry Hamilton, Joe Jones, Lisa Kane

At the end of the season, organizers gave the experiment a 'thumbs up'. "This is a project with the potential to raise consciousness about wildlife habitat and the environment through wonderful art work and I find that inspiring", says gallery curator, Pat Chandler.

Maine Wildlife Park Superintendent, Henry Hamilton, is also an art lover and collector who came up with the original idea to have a gallery at the wildlife park. "We were very pleased with this experiment", he said. "Now, we have to look at how we can make it an institution."

Maine Wildlife Park is a Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. IF& W is looking closely at the gallery idea and considering its long term potential. The park operates largely on the strength of its volunteer force known as the Friends of the Wildlife Park which number about 150 and have their own non-profit status.

The Governor intended to visit the park on Open House Day, but was prevent from doing so. He had hoped to acknowledge the Friends as "an extraordinary group that has made the park a place the state can be proud of."

Recently, gallery organizers, Chandler and WOF founder Toni Seger, with Hamilton, Friends President, Joe Jones, Lisa Kane and Marc Michaud of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, gathered at the Governor's office to talk to him about the shared message of art and environment.

The Governor was given a framed print titled: "Loons" from a painting by Pat Chandler. Chandler thanked the Governor his support for the environment and for his interest in encouraging the state's Creative Economy.
"Creative expression and the environment come together in The Gallery at Maine Wildlife Park", says Chandler. "That's the whole idea behind it."
The Governor was also given a children's book written and illustrated by Dean Bennett, author of numerous books about wildlife and wilderness and professor emeritus at The University of Maine at Farmington. Bennett couldn't be at the presentation, but Dean wrote to "commend the Governor's support for wild places." Bennett's inscription also commended Mrs. Baldacci for her strong support of quality children's reading material. Photo from L to R: Pat Chandler, Governor Baldacci, Henry Hamilton, Joe Jones, Lisa Kane

MMPA Announces Awards
New Gloucester firm among awardees

At the recent Maine Metal Products Association Annual Meeting, MMPA presented several awards, which honor those members who have given their all for the industry.

Richard McCann of McCann Fabrication in New Gloucester, earned the MMPA Special Service Award. McCann Fabrication was nominated for this award because the company has showed the ability to provide customers with outstanding service.

Other awardees were the Presidents Award to Dave Harrison of American Steel & Aluminum, South Portland, ME, Business Excellence Award to MEGA Industries, Gorham, ME, Coolest Metal Chick Award to Wendy Gushee of D&G Machine, Westbrook, ME, Marvelous Metal Guy Award to Dan Smart of American Steel & Aluminum, South Portland, ME, MMPA Support Award to Bob Bernier of Advantage Gases & Tools, Lewiston,
ME, MMPA Partnership Award to Turner Barker Insurance, Portland, ME and Metal Working Association of New Brunswick, Canada.

The MMPA Innovation Award went to Pierce Atwood Consulting, Portland, ME. MMPA Education Excellence Award to David Hartley and Northern Penobscot Technical Center, Region III.

Photo, From left: Cheryl Bolduc, Southern Maine Industries (Vice President, MMPA Board of Directors) and Richard McCann, McCann Fabrication (President, MMPA Board of Directors).

Rep. Tom Allen votes to protect property rights of individuals
Bipartisan legislation prohibits state and local governments from abusing eminent domain for economic development

Washington, D.C. - U.S. U.S. Representative Tom Allen voted late yesterday in favor of H.R. 4128, The Private Property Rights Protections Act, bipartisan legislation drafted in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial decision last summer in the case of Kelo, et. al. vs. City of New London regarding the power of local governments to seize private property through eminent domain.

H.R. 4128 would prohibit state and local governments that receive federal economic development funds from exercising eminent domain powers to seize private property for economic development purposes. A community or state in violation of H.R. 4128 would be ineligible for federal economic development funds for two fiscal years and be required to return funds received in the current year. If the government returns the property and replaces or repairs any property destroyed or damaged, it will not face the penalty.

On June 23, the Supreme Court upheld, by a vote of 5 to 4, the ruling of the Connecticut Supreme Court that the City of New London had the right to seize private property for economic development purposes. Specifically, the city's development corporation used eminent domain to seize several privately-owned homes and land. The City then developed the land for other private interests including a research facility for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, a conference hotel and center and new residential homes. Since the city had designated the affected area as blighted, the Court ruled that its use of eminent domain was consistent with legal precedent. In the dissenting opinion, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote, "nothing is to prevent the state from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory."

New Gloucester Seeks Public Input on Town-wide Development Study

The Town of New Gloucester has kicked off a town-wide Business & Economic Development Study. The Town has retained RKG Associates, a planning consulting firm from Durham, New Hampshire, to complete this study. RKG began its work in late October and expects to complete the study in the Spring of 2006.

This study seeks to provide Town leaders with a better understanding of what kinds of business growth it can attract in the future, what impacts that growth will have on the Town's facilities and services, and how the Town can protect its small-town character as it continues to grow. The study's final report will include specific recommendations for public investments, ordinance changes and planning initiatives to help achieve these goals.

Public input will be critical to the outcomes of the Development Study, and Town leaders are eager to hear from citizens and business owners. The first opportunity for the public to weigh in will be at a Visioning Session on Thursday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at Conference Room A at the Pineland Conference Center. At this session, the public will be asked to put forth opinions regarding: types of businesses desired in Town; preferred scale, location and density of development; public investments needed to support growth; and ways to preserve character. There will be at least two more public sessions that will focus on more specific issues, but the December 8 session represents the best opportunity for individuals to help shape the overall direction of the study.

For those who are unable to attend the Visioning Session in person, it will be aired on New Gloucester's government access channel 3. Also, the public is welcome to provide input at any point throughout the process by contacting Town Planner James Isaacson at 926-4126, extension 4 or jisaacson@newgloucester.com.

For More Information:
Rosemary Kulow, Town Manager, Town of New Gloucester, Tel (207) 926-4126, rkulow@newgloucester.com or Darren Mochrie, Project Manager, RKG Associates Tel (603) 868-5513, djam@rkg1.com