Reader: Warden showed integrity

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Last week, the chief warden of the Maine Warden Service resigned his post because he had been issued a summons while performing his other job – that of a commercial lobster fisherman.

Col. Tom Santaguida cited a desire to protect the Maine Warden Service from harm in his resignation letter and said the responsibility for the summons rested on him.

In a subsequent column, I maintained that those who would use the incident to tarnish the reputation of the entire warden service were off base, and that Santaguida’s legal problem didn’t illustrate any pervasive problem in the service as a whole … even though he was, at the time, its commander.

As you might expect, plenty of hunters and fishermen have been talking about the issue, and I’ve had several conversations about the matter in the past several days.

I also received an e-mail, which I’d like to share with you this morning.

Reader Ed Verbeke of Cary Plantation wrote to share his thoughts on Santaguida’s resignation and what it means to the Maine Warden Service as a whole.

Here’s what Verbeke had to say:

“I can think of only one thing that came immediately to mind upon reading your article concerning the resignation of Colonel Santaguida–Integrity,” Verbeke wrote. “Now I know many would disagree with me, stating he broke the law. That may well be so, but he did what all too many never do these days, that is take responsibility for one’s own actions.

“Men of integrity face adversity from something they themselves have done, accept responsibility for it, correct the situation and [make] no excuses. That is exactly what the Colonel did.

“Lesser men, and I can think of many in the political arena, would not have acted as the Colonel did. Being a retired state trooper from New Jersey, I have a great respect for all of law enforcement; the actions of Colonel Santaguida have done nothing to detract from that respect for the Warden Service or the Colonel himself.

“If anything it brings to light the caliber of men and women serving in the Warden Service. They should all continue to serve the state of Maine with the same degree of professional ability that they do now. As you stated so correctly, there have been or will be those who have snide remarks to make, they are the minority.

“If anyone thinks they can protect and serve better than these fine men and women, better than the troopers, sheriffs or police officers of this great state, I suggest they apply for the job. That alone will weed out those with integrity and those without,” he wrote.

Thanks, Ed, for sharing your thoughts on the matter.

And in a personal aside, I can tell you that I’ve dealt with plenty of our men and women in green in the course of my job, as well as during my recreational pursuits.

As a whole, those wardens have been respectful and easy to deal with. An added benefit, I’ve found, is that when you treat a warden with the same respect you expect, you often find out that they’re more than willing to help you succeed in your endeavors.

I’ve had wardens suggest better fishing spots and let me know what flies or bait have been producing. I’ve had them tell me where they’ve seen deer and turkeys … and where they haven’t.

And I can tell you this: If I ever end up in a bind in Maine’s woods, I know exactly who I want to be out there, looking for me and trying to help: those folks in green.

Mainers OK outdoor bond

When you step into the voting booth on election day, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when your state government keeps asking you for money for a variety of projects.

Spicy referendum questions rev up the emotions about bears and casinos and the like, and spirited races for public office can divide communities.

Bond issues, on the other hand, are sometimes confusing, often overlooked and frankly … well … a bit boring.

By the time voters get to the end of the ballot, many probably feel like they’ve given, and given, and given … and they aren’t going to give any more.

Thankfully, Maine’s voters avoided that potential pitfall on Tuesday and kept right on giving, passing the final bond question with a 63 percent majority.

That result will pump $35.5 million into programs that focus on land conservation, expanded access to outdoor recreation and protection of working waterfronts and wildlife habitat.

According to previous BDN reports, about $17 million of that money will go toward the state’s Lands for Maine’s Future program, which has helped protect more than 445,000 acres over its 20-year history.

In the past, places like Mount Kineo on Moosehead Lake and the Cutler coast in Washington County have been protected, thanks to the LMF program.

The voters who supported the bond on Tuesday added to that legacy and helped guarantee future generations of Mainers even more of special areas to enjoy forever.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.