To the Editor:
Great job Gail Driscoll for comparing/contrasting library costs. I
don’t know if your information would have made a difference at the
Arundel town meeting that voted against appropriating $5,100 for the
Kennebunk Free Library. (Which, incidentally, was almost 50 percent less
than last year.)
I only wish similar critical thinking like yours was applied at that
same meeting when the town voted to appropriate in two different
articles $6,500 to benefit the Eastern Trail (that bicycle path which
follows the gas line through Arundel).
As Arundel approaches a new year, at this time there is not a solution to the dilemma. There is a great show of finances in the above letter. Unfortunately, we can all complain, because what we are used to has all of the sudden changed.
ReplyDeleteWith the new dilemma at hand, there are solutions, and new opportunities for Arundel. Arundel has many choices of free libraries to go to. Graves Library in Kennebunkport, or the library over in Lyman. In addition to those libraries, maybe Arundel should seek the formation of vouchers for library cards to libraries of it's citizens personal preference? Maybe funding should be set aside annually for Arundel's growing town to build their own library?
Meetings of the town, they are all public, and public is welcomed to attend. Those who demand that something be done about the issue, who did not attend any meetings, Board of Selectmen or Budget Board, or the annual Town Meeting that is held annually have no excuse to complain, as board members are not mind readers, nor are those who so graciously took in the information from the Kennebunk Free Library speaker at the meeting. Either way Arundel still would have been charged, and Arundel citizens would have paid more long term. If that isn't not a slap in the face, I do not know what is. For the citizens of Arundel who did attend the meeting, I say "Thank you very much."
Lastly, Kennebunk Free Library needs to change it's name. The library isn't free, and comes at an expense to its taxpayers and those who choose to patronize the libray.