[KEYSeNews] Events and Resources

Fri May 19 16:26:49 PDT 2006

KEYSeNews  May 19, 2006

This is an email list created for sharing KEYS Region news. It is  
sent out weekly at most.

1) June 5:  "An Economic Development Strategy for the SMRPC Region"  
by Chuck Lawton, 5:30pm, Sanford (with dinner, $20)
2) June 7: Conserving Maine’s Shoreland Zones, 5-7pm, Mt.A Lodge,  
York (multiple speakers, no charge, refreshments provided)
3) A peek at an informal process being used in Portsmouth, to bring  
citizens and government officials into dialogue. Could this happen in  
the KEYS towns?
4) 211 is your new number for social services resources. And the  
website http://www.211maine.org/ has post-flood information.

1) Please Join us for SMRPC's Annual Meeting
Monday, June 5th, 5:30 PM
Impastable Dream, Sanford     Tickets $20 with a full buffet and  
entertainment
5:30 PM ~ Hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and music
5:45 PM ~ "brief" General Assembly Business Meeting
6:00 PM ~ Buffet Dinner will be served

Please RSVP with payment by May 29, 2006 to reserve your place.
Mail payment to:
SMRPC, 21 Bradeen Street, Suite 304, Springvale, Maine 04083
Call SMRPC at 324-2952 for more information.
Please share this invitation with anyone who might be interested!

Presentation to follow:   Chuck Lawton, Economist and Columnist for  
the Portland Press Herald will discuss his just completed study,    
"An Economic Development Strategy for the SMRPC Region"

2) Conserving Maine’s Shoreland Zones: Their Importance and the Use  
of Shoreland Zoning as a Tool for Protection

  Learn about the habitat values of lands adjacent to lakes, streams,  
and wetlands. Examine the use of Shoreland Zoning and other options  
for communities, landowners, and conservation groups to protect this  
important resource.

Town Officials, Planners, Planning Board members, Code Enforcement  
Officers, Conservation Commission members, Land Trust members and  
interested citizens are encouraged to attend.

June 7, 2006, 5-7 PM

The Lodge at the Summit of Mt. Agamenticus, Mountain Road, York

(Refreshments will be provided)

Program will include:
·      Introductions and Welcome. Roger Cole, Mt. Agamenticus to the  
Sea Coalition

·      From Wood Frogs to Wood Ducks and Salamanders to Moose:  
Wildlife Use of Shoreland Habitats.  Rob Bryan, Maine Audubon

·      Shoreland Zoning: An Overview of Maine’s Shoreland Zoning Act  
and State Guidelines for Municipal Shoreland Zoning Ordinances. Mike  
Morse, Maine Department of Environmental Protection

·      Using Beginning with Habitat and Other Data Sources to Further  
Conservation Goals. Paul Schumacher, SMRPC

Organized by the Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative,  
Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, Maine Audubon, and Maine  
DEP.

Please RSVP to SMRPC at 324-2952. For more info call SMRPC, or the Mt  
A to the Sea Conservation Initiative at 439-4133 or Maine Audubon at  
781-6180 x 222.   (Some roads around Mt A may be closed….call SMRPC  
if you have questions about access.)

3) I'm not suggesting that we Maine residents go to this, but that we  
think about adopting such an informal, friendly, small group  
discussion approach to citizen-official dialogue in our towns. Has  
this happened before in any of our towns?

> From: "Mary Salmon" <msalmon at seacoastonline.com>
> Date: May 19, 2006 9:30:28 AM EDT
> Subject: Join city councilors in roundtable discussions of this  
> year's city budget May 30, 7-9 p.m.
> Dear Portsmouth resident,
>
> On May 30th, from 7-9 p.m. at Portsmouth High School, we are  
> hosting roundtables with your city councilors about this year’s  
> budget. As with last fall’s candidates’ forum, several councilors  
> will join you and other fellow citizens in small group discussions.  
> After 15-20 minutes, citizens will move to the next pair of  
> councilors to continue the discussion. This fall, the result was  
> thoughtful, honest discussion of the issues facing our community  
> with the eight councilors who have agreed to participate.
>
>  As you may know from news coverage, police, fire, schools and  
> municipal departments have submitted budgets that would drive an 8%  
> increase in the tax rate. The city manager has recommended costs  
> rise at the rate of inflation only, or 4.32% to keep taxes down.  
> School board members have urged the passage of their full budget,  
> as well as police and fire officials and their commissioners.
>
>  It is the intention of Portsmouth Listens to have a night when  
> citizens engage in a well-informed dialogue about the choices with  
> their elected officials. To enhance the discussion, Portsmouth  
> Listens has asked for written answers from school, police, fire and  
> municipal officials to the following four questions. We hope to run  
> their answers in a special section of the Portsmouth Herald the  
> morning of May 30:
>
> 1)       What are the factors causing costs to increase in your  
> department?
>
> 2)       Given those cost increases, and the city’s desire to keep  
> tax increases to the rate of inflation, from what lower-priority  
> areas could you obtain the funds needed for new initiatives and  
> higher priority work? Please identify lowest priority areas, and  
> then identify highest priority areas that you believe must stay  
> fully funded.
>
> 3)       If you had to work with a “same resources plus inflation”  
> budget of $(FY 06 plus a 4.32% increase)____ vs. the $(police,  
> fire, school or municipal)_ budget presented for your department,  
> how would you do it?
>
> 4)       What would you like the voters to understand about your  
> budget and priorities for 2006-2007?
>
> These answers will come from the police and fire chiefs,  
> superintendent of schools, city manager, and their respective  
> boards. The section will also include tables showing the budget  
> details. We hope to provide a strong factual context for the night  
> of dialogue of May 30.
>
> We hope you can attend this unusual new way to involve the public  
> in the city budget process. It should be a night of learning and  
> dialogue for both residents and councilors alike.
>
> Please RSVP to msalmon at seacoastonline.com if you plan to attend.  
> Sign-up is important because spaces are limited.
>
> Cordially,
>
> Jim Noucas, John Tabor, Co-Chairs, Portsmouth Listens

4) 2-1-1 is Quick and Easy to Use:
We all know to dial 9-1-1 for medical and health emergencies. We also  
know to dial 4-1-1 for directory assistance. And now, finding the  
answers to health and human services information and resources is as  
quick and easy as dialing 2-1-1 or logging onto 211maine.org.

2-1-1 Maine, Inc. is a nonprofit organization formed in partnership  
with United Ways of Maine and Ingraham to develop a health and human  
services information and referral service system to serve the entire  
State of Maine, every day and in times of crisis.

Also try using

http://www.211maine.org/

which has downloadable information about dealing with flood damage:

Dealing With Mold After Flood Damage
Dealing With Mold - Helpful Hints
EPA Fact Sheet - Dealing With Mold
Red Cross - Repairing Your Flooded Home
Cleaning Up After a Flood
Tips For Filing Your Flood Insurance Claim

----end of KEYSeNews for May 19, 2006----

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KEYS Region (Kittery, Eliot, York, S. Berwick), Maine. Only the list  
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