Grateful for support of
Kennebunkport voters
I am writing to thank the hundreds of residents who shared their support for me on June 11. Our outreach to all of you through consistent positive messaging, dozens of visits with you at your homes, hundreds of phone calls and honest conversations over the past weeks, and personal written notes of gratitude for your help have been heartwarming experiences.
Your kind encouragement before, during and after the election has truly been uplifting. The beautiful words used to describe my campaign tell that we did share that spirit of excellence that is so important to me.
I hope you will never be able to look at the word SPUR without thinking of me.
Hope you are smiling,
Diane Franz
Kennebunkport
What is the future
of affordable housing?
With recent press articles about a new senior housing village in Biddeford and the need of affordable housing in Kennebunk, there’s not much talk of anything happening in Kennebunkport. When local residents here reach an age where they can no longer live on their own they’re forced to move out of town away from friends, family and familiar surroundings.
Before the town of Kennebunkport purchased the Village Parcel there was a developer who had developed several abutting parcels prepared to go to the announced auction to bid on the land with plans to build an affordable 55-plus senior village there. Needless to say, the auction never took place because the town purchased it for much more than its fair market value. It’s been off the market for about six years forcing development away from where it should be, in the center of town with public water, sewer and sidewalks.
Ironically, it is probably the largest undeveloped parcel in the prescribed growth area of town. It saddens me to see affordable housing like the 11-unit Sinnott House in Cape Porpoise converted to luxury condominiums selling in the millions and Kennebunkport’s only mobile home park renting units for almost $3,000 per night.
Is this what people who live here want the future to look like?
Bill Case
Kennebunkport
Leave those
books alone
I read the opinion piece in the June 14 edition, and thought a response was essential. Moyer’s writing is a basic rescripting of talking points issued to homophobic and transphobic individuals and groups. Moyer wishes to take the book “Genderqueer” to task for not bringing guidance to the reader. Did he read the title? It’s a memoir not a guide. Memoirs are the story
of a person’s life. If it sounds difficult and messy well, welcome to life for many who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning. It is messy and difficult. And, finding a therapist can also be difficult; some are quite qualified and compassionate and others are dreadful (remember conversion therapy, now outlawed in Maine).
Let’s cut to the chase: his opinion piece calls for book banning. He joins an impressive list of personalities over the course of written history. When it comes to banning books that deal with sexuality and gender, the all-time leaders were the German Nazi party (1932-1945) and extreme churches that see any view other than their rigid, binary belief to be anathema.
Essentially, a library is a repository for humanity’s work. All of it. Not just what one agrees with or likes. Books are for everyone. Book banning is equivalent to stating that there are only selected genres or works that should be on shelves, and only selected groups should be tasked with, as Moyer puts it, using “good judgment and discernment” to arrive at what you and I may read.
He wants to fill us with dread over what he calls transgender ideology, spreading disinformation like blowing on dandelion puffs. My favorite was his reference to the transgender empire, which he dropped at a poorly attended meeting last fall trying to rouse hate. If transgender people have an empire, where are the pictures of trans people riding through town in their luxury cars on their way to the trans country club? There is no empire, trans people are harassed, attacked, and routinely discriminated against.
He professes to be concerned with “protecting children,” but he ought to be clear that he’s concerned about kids he approves of, not all kids. The solution is simple: leave the books. If a parent doesn’t want their kid reading something, they need to tell them so. If the kid does not follow the parent’s directive, that’s an issue between parent and kid, not a reason to deny access to a book that many others wish to have access to.
Marie Louise St. Onge
Kennebunk
Thankful for safe
spaces, resources
Having just returned from the Portland Pride parade and festival this evening, I thought my joy as an LGBTQ+ ally was done for the day. But no, I see another opportunity: I am calling out the author of the opinion piece last week who dared to police what others read.
I am thrilled that the multiple-award-winning book “Genderqueer” is available to RSU 21 students. I expected so. Its presence in any school district library shows the “high standard of discernment and good judgment” of our librarians and administrators. Its presence shows our district is welcoming of all students, as it strives to foster a safe place for them to learn and thrive.
My copy of “Genderqueer” came from a Portland bookstore about two years ago. I asked for the most recommended and popular LGBTQ+ title. I would loan it to Mr. Moyer but alas, I just gave it to a great friend of mine whose daughter is orienting toward being a gent. We thought it might help them feel comfort and enable more family conversations.
My thanks to RSU 21 administrators and school librarians everywhere who provide safe spaces and resources for those in need of information. How fortunate we are.
Susan A. Bloomfield
West Kennebunk
Thank you for
saving my dog
I want to thank the mystery person who rescued my dog a couple of weeks ago. I am a disabled senior who lives on the Portland Road which is very dangerous for animals. I was working in my closed garage with my 3-year-old Shepherd next to me, and the side door was partially open. All of a sudden she took off like a rocket and I couldn’t move fast enough to grab her and she was gone. My neighbor saw her go past her house then hop into someone’s car.
This good Samaritan took her to the Kennebunk Police Department, then immediately left before my friends could get there and pick up my dog, Casse. So I want to thank this person for saving her life. I want to thank the KPD for holding on to her (they seemed to have a good time together), and I also want to thank my good friends and neighbors, Brook and Joe, for bringing my wayward dog home.
As for Casse, when she came into the house, she ran right into her crate knowing she was in the penalty box. I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that she was safely home.
Kris Archer
Kennebunk
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