Comments on: Update: Regional Development Authority

By: BillStraub

BillStraub — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:35:14 +0000

Please- read this bill. Get past the “Whereas’s”. This thing would do many things, and not many of them are being talked about by the proponents. Read it for yourself. See if you can find any gain to Towns. You’ll see a lot of assured costs, which you will pay as taxpayers, and a big layer of new government. I don’t think you’ll see revenues or benefits back to Towns. But don’t take my word for it - take the time to read it.

By: Roberta

Roberta — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:26:33 +0000

The email noted by Diane is from a quick email sent to the Regional Efficiency Grant Workgroup with suggested times. The times have been finalized and the meetings will be held during the times listed.

All three local newspapers have been notified. Residents should see articles or at a minimum meeting notices in the next day or so. Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission has generously offered to post some preliminary information as their staff time allows. Please visit www.smrpc.org in the days ahead and look for the heading What’s New under Economic Development to find more details.

By: DianeB

DianeB — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:31:28 +0000

I’ve just received word from Cathy Goodwin that the public meeting is on Feb. 9th, not today! Apologies to those with whom I was frustrated. I felt badly about missing the meeting, and that resulted in my frustration. Here is the information from Cathy, who received it from the S. Berwick Town Hall.

Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:28 AM

Hello everyone,

Marshwood High School has been booked for Saturday February 9th in the morning. (9am?)
Noble High School has been booked for Wednesday February 13th in the evening. (6:30 pm?)

Roberta Orsini
Executive Assistant
Town of South Berwick

By: DianeB

DianeB — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:53:02 +0000

We have another communication failure this morning. The Jan. 28 article in the Portsmouth Herald includes this sentence: “Responding to the need for better communication and publicity, the work group announced it would hold two public hearings, one at Noble High School and the other at Marshwood High School — dates to be announced.”

Note the phrase “better communication and publicity”!! The only notice I’ve seen (and I searched both the Portsmouth Herald and Fosters Daily) is this — sent out 37 minutes before the Marshwood session this morning, Feb. 2! (I’m grateful to the person who sent it out, but dismayed that the sponsors of the bill didn’t give at least a week’s notice for any public meeting.)

Here’s the email sent out this morning February 2, 2008 8:23:42 AM EST
“There will be a meeting to discuss public concerns about the Regional Developement Authority legislation on; Saturday Feb.2, 9am at Marshwood Highschool & Wednesday 2/13 6:30 pm at Noble Highschool. A copy of the legislation is attached below. It is important to receive public input at this stage to modify the terms of the legisaltion to fit the needs and desires of the community. Once passed by the legislature the terms of the RDA will be set. A subsequent vote by each town to join the authority will be subject to the terms of this legislation.”

By: jack

jack — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:14:16 +0000

TO ALL TAXPAYERS: PLEASE READ THE BILL. IF IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO YOU, PLEASE SAY SO TO THE Business, Research and Economic Development Committee in Augusta.

It is in the hands of this committee for action. Aside from this voice the only ones they have heard from are the proponents of the bill.

Below I’m reprinting my comments from Jan. 24.

jack Says:

January 24th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Regional Development Authority:

Regarding the Southern York County Regional Development Authority (SYCRDA) that is currently on the table of the Business, Research and Economic Development Committee in Augusta as LD 2003, we all should read this bill and understand the potential implications for us as taxpayers who shall fund this proposal.

The January 17, 2008 public hearing is now closed and a committee work session is scheduled for February 26, 2008.

I appeared at the public hearing as opposed to the bill. I am concerned that the general public has very little information and has yet to express opinions on the legislation. After the hearing I checked the Town website and couldn’t find a draft of the bill. This is demonstrative of the lack of public outreach and consensus building.

My opinion is this proposed authority shall add another layer of government by creation of a mini-county government without any tangible return on the required resources and commitment paid for by us.

It is easy to get behind broad and generally accepted concepts like regional cooperation and work force housing. However as proposed the implementation language is quite vague on details about how this shall be achieved. Frankly this looks like a South Berwick Industrial Park/Contract Zoning redux with few supporting details on the proposal.

Given the lead up e-mail and printed publicity of Senator Bowman’s intent kill the bill prior to the public hearing, I don’t know how the committee can feel they received balanced and representative testimony.

After consideration of the bill and these comments, if the readers have concerns or opinions, please express them to our state representatives Rep. Gould , Senator Bowman , and our town council.

If you have contacts in the other affected neighboring communities (Kittery, Eliot, York, Berwick, North Berwick and Wells) please inform them as well about this bill.

One colleague stated, “This Bill left the county in the dark of night, on tiptoes with hushed lips.” I agree.

The BRED committee chairs are Senator Lynn Bromley and Rep. Nancy Chase. The committee secretary is Rhonda Miller .