Improving Down East

I am pleased to report that the leadership of our community, with the support of many other local property owners, have embarked on a positive and ambitious effort to improve the appearance of this part of Maine.

Biweekly meetings of local citizens working with Select-men James Cameron, Michael Hodgkins and Michael Swanson have designed a plan to remove junk cars and other debris from yards, which deface the appearance of this historic part of Down East Maine. Arrangements have been made with a licensed dealer to remove these unusable vehicles and other light metal items such as stoves, refrigerators and washers from yards. This operation will be conducted at no cost to the owners of the vehicles and discarded appliances, or to the town of Trenton.

Unauthorized junkyards and automobile graveyards drag down the atmosphere of the community, not to mention the value of nearby properties. Maine state law is very specific forbidding the use of private property in this manner in communities like Trenton.

This program planned by the community and implemented through town officers and staff gets the job done in a painless manner without using the arm of the law. This is an example of the Maine way of doing a much-needed job at no cost to taxpayers; community leaders and concerned citizens working together in a well-thought-out approach to improve our own front and back yards.

Chuck Ausherman

Trenton