I LOVE the Town of China Maine, But……

My family and I were welcomed to the town of China in 2001 with a sign and balloons at the end of the road. The sign still hangs in my garage. I love it here. Great town, great people, wonderful community, but....

the recent letter I received on Town of China letterhead, signed by local resident Beth Preston, has me seeing red.

It seems Beth, and the committee she represents, is in favor of purchasing "The Cabins at Candlewood," located on the north end of China Lake. The cost, a mere $575, 000. Honestly, it kind of irks me that this premier spot in my town is currently owned by someone from Massachusetts but, I do understand, most of us from Maine couldn't afford it. That's the way with much of Maine...i.e. Roxanne Quimby. Google that name. She's a piece of work.

So Beth is encouraging us to vote YES on Tuesday so we can purchase "The Cabins." Apparently, Massachusetts wasn't making enough money renting the property out.

Okay. I live on a dead end dirt road that the town won't plow or trim because it "doesn't meet town standards." Those standards include certain criteria, which our small association can't afford, like paving.

Those who are well-to-do (I don't know if Ms. Preston is...or even if she lives on a culdesac like we do), but I can tell you that we, like Beth, pay taxes to the town and, because of the hill on our road, are isolated from certain things in the winter. I'm talking about things like Fire trucks, rescue units and so forth. Things that could save life (heart attacks, etc) and minimize property damage.

In all fairness, maybe Beth and the committee didn't take time to think of these things. Maybe they didn't even know that situations like ours existed. If that is the case, please understand, this is life for us and countless others in your community who have but one person we rely on to do our plowing/sanding and, if their truck is broken, we're, essentially, screwed. People NEED to understand this!

So, would I like the town to own this piece of property on China Lake? Absolutely! I'd love to have boat slips/moorings and would gladly pay for one so I could leave my boat there. On the other hand, would I like to know that an ambulance would be able to come get me if I collapse in my office (again)? Absolutely. Life if more important than recreation. I'd be saying that if I DIDN'T live on a dirt road, unaccessible by anyone on a stormy, winter night. I do something that is, sadly, undo-able for many people. Commiserate.

Please understand, Beth, there are other important issues that "our" tax dollars could be used on, like changing the way the town operates in regards to its many private roads!