I am writing in response to the feedback from the Daily bulldog article on March 6, 2015, informing Chesterville residents of the voting for Selectmen to be held on March 9, and the upcoming town meeting scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2015.
There were four responses to the March 6 letter, all equally biased and poorly informed. The first response is from one of Chesterville’s elected selectmen, Guy Iverson. In his first paragraph, Mr. Iverson describes Mr. Scott Gray as having an “open ear” to the townspeople of Chesterville and hearing their complaints. The Chesterville Board of Selectmen heard every one of those complaints, but when Mr. Gray was asked who the complainant was, his answer was “I can’t say.” Therefore, the majority of the board decided not to hear the complaint because the source was unknown, and could only be interpreted as hearsay. There has never been a time during my term as selectman that valid complaints haven’t been heard and dealt with.
Scott and Charles (identities unknown) both refer to the LD1. For these two to criticize the current local board with regard to LD1 is ludicrous. The state law, LD1, is so complicated that political geniuses would have trouble explaining it. LD1 is a very complicated document, which experienced and knowledgeable politicians might have difficulty understanding. To expect the members of the general public, who have had few, if any, opportunities to study the document, to pass judgment on the local board for its compliance with this state law, which neither the local board nor local citizens can change, at the moment anyway, is ridiculous.
Having enjoyed participating in the cooperative and strenuous work of the Budget Committee and the majority of the Board of Selectmen on this year’s budget, I look forward to serving the town of Chesterville in 2015, and I hope my fellow townsmen will join me in observing upcoming town government as practiced by Iverson, Gray, and Caldwell.
Selectman Josefa Hanson
Chesterville
As a citizen of Chesterville, I find this letter to the editor to be very offensive and unprofessional. I interpreted this as very negative towards the citizens of the town in regards to our overall intelligence. I feel that if we wanted to view the LD 1 document and study it, we have had 10 years to do so. Being educated in this tax levy limit is important and if a select person would like to voice their opinions on such things, that is absolutely fine. There was never any slandering from the aforementioned selectman. This letter, however, is very upsetting and disappointing. If one of the selectmen feel as though the others have done something wrong or offensive, than that individual should bring the concern to the other members and handle it in a profeasional manner. Cattiness isn’t the way to win people over, especially when being negative towards another professionals.
In regards to the LD 1 and the fact that even a political genius would have a hard time explaining it, are you assuming that you are smarter than such geniuses?
Just some food for thought.