Dear Editor:

On Saturday, September 29, 2007 the 1947 class of Boothbay Harbor High School held its 60th anniversary reunion at Brown's Wharf. I attended and had a joyous, sentimental and completely rewarding time (in an otherwise bleak year).

My thanks go out to all my classmates and particularly to the ad hoc committee. Very well done! If I had any hocs to ad(d), I would have called you....

I treasure you all, my classmates, and pray we will be able to do this again.

A happy, satisfied alumnus,

Richard 'Dicky' Benner

Class of '47

Franklin, N.H.

Dear Editor:

Yesterday [Oct. 1] I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful program at the Boothbay Region Elementary School which featured Grammy Award winners Jay Ungar and Molly Mason. These two exceptionally talented musicians of international acclaim mesmerized the students and teachers for an hour of truly enlightening entertainment. We all learned about different types of stringed instruments, different types of music, and when invited to do so, the captivated audience joined in some of the singing along. A question and answer time followed the performance during which students asked some really intelligent, thought-provoking questions.

All in all, the students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade showed wonderful manners, and also great enthusiasm for all they heard and for all they learned. This experience certainly proved to be time well spent! To me, it was a very impressive, rewarding way to end the school day. My students in my school bus carried on some great conversation about the program en route home that afternoon!

I want to say a huge "thank you" to Knickerbocker Group (Boothbay Home Builders, Knickerbocker Home Services, and Knickerbocker Design) for making this school program possible to those youngsters who otherwise would have missed out on a great, fun-filled, and educational experience!

Eleanor Yesmentes, Driver

Bus #4

Dear Editor:

Boothbay's Board of Selectmen has sent on to the voters the proposed revised Zoning Ordinance for consideration at the upcoming general election in November. This revised Ordinance is the culmination of several years' effort by Boothbay's Planning Board, with input from the public and from the Board of Appeals. A further public hearing is to be held on 22 October, and I hope many citizens will attend and speak their minds.

The Planning Board has provided us with a Zoning Ordinance that has been clarified and simplified. The sheer bulk of the older Ordinance has been reduced nearly by half. The new Ordinance has been re-organized to facilitate the finding of answers to particular zoning questions. It should no longer be necessary for people to hire a battery of lawyers in order to gain a complete understanding of what zoning means to them.

The Board of Appeals, with particularly persuasive discourse from Scott Adams, encouraged all of us in the process to be mindful of three policy goals in defining the relationship between the Board of Appeals and the Planning Board: (1) the citizens have the right to be heard and to have their concerns dealt with fully and fairly, (2) the process of review of Planning Board decisions will be thorough and expeditious, (3) the review process will yield well-founded decisions, thereby minimizing the likelihood of costly and time consuming court appeals.

The proposed Zoning Ordinance, in substance and in organization, is a remarkable achievement, and credit must be given to the Planning Board and the leadership provided by its Chair, Kristina Ford, and the diligent and thorough research of Board member Ken Hanson. The proposed Ordinance achieves the policy goals described by the Board of Appeals, and brings order and clarity to this murky and confusing area of law that can have such an important impact on us all.

This letter expresses my personal stand on this issue, and is not written on behalf of the Board of Selectmen.

Daniel E. Harris, Selectman

Town of Boothbay

Dear Editor:

I have a question for the people who make Boothbay Harbor their home:

During the summer do you ever say to yourself or to someone else, I wish there was some place different we could go to visit? Have you ever thought of a day trip to Burnt Island Light Station? That is one of the most beautiful places in the area to visit.

Have you ever looked out there, or taken a boat ride and said I wonder what it is like to be on the Island itself?

I know what it is like; I lived a great deal of my life there with my family. So let me encourage you next summer to take a day trip. Pack a lunch and go out for a visit. The Novelty goes out there every day.

We lived on that island from 1936 through 1951 and into 1952. Believe me; those of us still left in the Muise family loved going back for a visit. We try to go at least once a summer.

We do thank Elaine Jones for all the hard work she has done to preserve and restore the island. It is a beautiful place and I would recommend the local folk to visit.

You would be surprised at the beauty of the place.

I have a lot of interest in the restoration of the Cuckolds. We visited there a lot during our years at Burnt Island and I do hope it can be restored.

Again, take a day next summer and visit burnt Island.

Adele Muise Bailey

Enfield, Conn.