Parson's Road an ATV Battleground

by Matt Hongoltz-Hetling
     
     PARIS – Several property owners along Parson's Road came to Monday's selectboard meeting to strongly voice their opposition to ATV access to the road, which they say has lowered their property values and destroyed their quality of life.
     Supporters of the X-tra Mile ATV Club (XMAC), some of whom also live on Parsons Road, said that the issues could be resolved without revoking access to the public road.
     The selectboard voted 4-1, with Selectwoman Jean Smart opposing, to table the issue until December 13, during which time members recommended that interested parties try to develop a consensus recommendation that would accommodate both groups.
     Parson's Road resident Jim Hakala read from a prepared statement for 30 minutes without interruption.
     Hakala said that he had purchased the property about five years ago, in part because of its beauty and serenity. He attacked the ATV traffic near his home on many grounds, saying that ATVs are “deafening, unruly, and have a loud, throaty growl. The house quivers and pulsates from the noise.”
     Hakala said that property values go down when they are located near ATV trails, and that ATV noise is so loud that it can create a variety of health problems, including hearing loss, elevated heart rates, and anxiety.
     Hakala characterized the ATVs as being incompatible with other recreational land uses.
     “Consider activities like camping, hiking, birdwatching, and family picnics,” said Hakala. “All these activities can occur in the same place at the same time. Bring in a single quad, or ATV, with its noise, smells, and dust, and the other activities are put on hold or canceled.”
     “I feel like I literally have been victimized by the town of Paris,” said his wife. “The town office gave my rights away.”
     Police Chief David Verrier said that, in response to complaints, he monitored the traffic over the course of a weekend and found about 23 instances of ATV traffic, with no instances of speeding or other indications of lawbreaking.
     Hakala said that other weekends had seen as many as 66 ATVs passing by.
     XMAC Treasurer Mark Stearns said that the XMAC is working hard to try to please everybody involved.
     “We immediately went to 'what can we do to make it better,'” said Stearns. “Everyone views quality of life with a different eye.”
     “I don't mean to be disrespectful,” said Stearns. “ATVs aren't any more intrusive than automobiles, lawnmowers, and diesel vehicles. I moved into my home 36 years ago, when there were six houses on the street. Now, there are 40. Things change.”
     Selectpersons Jean Smart and Lloyd Herrick apologized for their previous votes in favor of the ATV access.
     02-34-clubrowe
     
     Clubrowe seeking help for modular classroom
     
     by Matt Hongoltz-Hetling
     
     NORWAY – Last Thursday, the board of selectmen turned down a $5,000 request from Clubrowe Day Care Director Stacey LaFlamme, who is attempting to raise funds to help the afterschool program move into a modular classroom without cutting services to 37 area students.
     The selectboard said that, while they support the cause, the funds are not available at the current time.
     Clubrowe has traditionally been housed at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School, where it has built strong relationships with the school's academic staff that have allowed the center to focus on helping students reach their academic goals.
     The program was located in Guy E. Rowe's classrooms for seven years.
     “The School District has a great opportunity to start a Pre-K program this fall,” read LaFlamme's proposal. “Unfortunately, this means we lose the space we have been able to use. To avoid having to reduce our enrollment from 62 to 25 students and from cutting staff, we need to purchase a modular classroom from Schiavi Leasing Corp as soon as possible.”
     The main expenses for building the classroom were listed as totaling $26,884, with additional costs for various operating expenses.
     Town Manager Dave Holt said that, while he supported the Clubrowe program, he didn't know where in the town budget the $5,000 would come from.
     Selectman Mike Twitchell expressed frustration with the town's inability to meet the request in light of other expenditures.
     “I see that other article we just signed for $100,000, and now we can't come up with $5,000,” he said.
     Selectman Irene Millett suggested that the town help in a smaller way by waiving $150 in permitting fees that Clubrowe would otherwise have to pay.
     The selectboard agreed to bring the matter to the voters in the future if the funding shortages still exist during the annual town meeting.
     “We're really kind of stuck,” said Selectman Russell Newcomb. “ I'd really hate to see them lose the program. If it came down to it that they needed help come town meeting time, that would probably be the best time to help.”
     Clubrowe, unlike other area daycare centers, exclusively caters to school-age children. LaFlamme has said that this allows them to improve the test scores of schoolchildren by allowing them to schedule activities like group homework time and reading time. Experts say that programs like Clubrowe keep children safer, and also help them to achieve on test scores. The federal government regularly funds after-school enrichment programs as a way to help children succeed.A study of one such program in Los Angeles found that participants “had better school attendance and higher scores on standardized tests of mathematics, reading and language arts,” according to the National Youth Violence Prevention Center, a subdivision of the CDC.
     The classroom itself costs $16,900, but the ADA ramp and stairs cost an additional $5,000. The cost of transporting and setting up the structure is another $3,384, and an additional $1,600 is needed for propane heaters, a CMP deposit, and permits from the town and the state.
     Those who would like to donate to Clubrowe are encouraged to call 595-5174 or mail a check made out to “Clubrowe” to POB 215, Norway, ME 04268.