Text of the testimony

This is a response to the editorial, “Water Fight” (BDN, March 25). The statement, “A major IF&W argument is that the law is unfair to out-of-state property owners because they cannot vote at town meetings,” is not an accurate representation of what was said. We did not make a reference to out-of-state property owners in our testimony.

Here is the text of the testimony in question given on March 15 to the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “… this proposed process, in the past, excluded many property owners from having a say on the restrictions placed on the body of water on which they own property. In most municipalities, if you are not a year-round resident, you are not allowed to vote at the annual town meeting, and in many cases, not even allowed to speak on the issue.”

The statement is intended to point out that people living outside the municipality where changes are proposed could and are often prevented from participation even though they own property around the body of water in question and are residents of our state. During the questioning period following the testimony, this point was further reiterated.

Marc Michaud

Director of Public

Information and

Education

Department of Inland

Fisheries and Wildlife

Augusta