Our Policy on Letters to The Editor

Our policy on Letters to The Editor is that " all letters must be signed (name will be withheld on request) profanity is unacceptable. All letters are subject to editing for clarity by the editor".
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DISCLAIMER: The views written in the Letters to The Editor do not necessarily reflect the views of Amity Matters, nor does Amity Matters take any responsibility of the views stated by those who write to the editor.

Letters

 Hello Amity,

     I just wanted to say Congratulation to my Dad, Glenn Williams who was voted in as Selectman for the next three years. Wish I was still a resident so that I could of voted for him. Amity did a good thing when they voted him in. He is a respectable, honest, and hardworking man who will be a huge benefit to the Town of Amity.

Congratulations Amity you voted in one of the best,

Renee Williams Gray
( Resident of Amity for 20+ years )

4/03/08

Hello,

    I just had to send a quick email to say how impressed I was with your website. I was working on a title search located in Amity and the town office is closed and the registry doesn't have your commmittment book - so I called Margaret Frye in Weston and she told me just where to go on the website to get all the info I needed. I had already been on the website to get hours/phone number, etc. but didn't dream I could find the rest. I was so pleasantly surprised and impressed. Please continue to do a great job and thank you so much for your easy access!! I would love to be able to do all my jobs right on the computer!!!

Thank you,

Alicia McNally
Patten
3/27/08

 To Amity Matters,

I don't generally do this, but I came across this site while building up the regional listings for the Best of the Web directory, as a contract  labor task and wanted you to know that I found it to be as simple as it is beautiful, a truly remarkable resource for the town of Amity, Maine. 

 I have published the Magic City Morning Star, which began in 2002 as an online newspaper for the Katahdin region of Maine, but which has evolved into something that is somewhat less local these days. My wife and I also published All Maine Matters, a print newspaper that was in circulation for eleven months of 2006, until we could no longer afford to do so financially. 

Congratulations on a fine job, the product of which is wonderful.

Ken Anderson

1/30/2008

We received this letter from resident Eric Howell that expresses his concern on, what I think is, a very significant issue. He brings up very important points concerning the safety of our children and everyone that lives on the Lycette Road. Thank you, Eric, for taking the time out of your busy day to express your concerns, Amity Matters is very pleased to publish your letter.

Hi Everyone,

I just want to take this time to ask all the people who travel our roads, whatever happened to being aware of other people’s lives? I say this because since when do people need to drive so fast on our roads. Why, do we need to go 10 to 15 mph faster than the designated speed limit? What is the difference between 2 to 3 minutes? Because, 2 or 3 minutes is all the time that we are making up by going that fast. Is it going to take one of our children (my daughter is down here on occasion) to get killed or injured? Do we need to lose our pets, before we slow down?

I work at home across from my dad's place on the Lycette Rd. On more than a regular basis, people are flying by my home. On one end of the straightaway you have the hill peek, on the other you have a turn that my neighbor lives on and in the middle you have "School Buses" coming with children to view the animals and learn something about our wild world. Do these children need to be part of an accident waiting to happen? When are we going to learn?

Please, for the sake of all living things, drivers included. Let's spread the word and at least make our little town of Amity a safer place to live. Our lives are crazy (even mine), but why not leave a little earlier? Go to bed a little earlier so you get your rest. This way you don't need to fly. Flying is for planes not our little ole back roads. Our lives are short enough, please slow down...

Thank you for taking the time to read my views,
Sincerely,
Eric Howell

Note from the Webmaster:

Please look at the August Selectmen's minutes, there is a reference to this problem and it was voted 3-0 to allow a reduced speed zone in this area. Town Manager, Darrell Williams clarified that the Selectmen voted to allow a reduced speed limit of 25 mph past the Spruce Acres Refuge and Education Center. The Selectmen offered to provide the signs and Mr. Howell wanted to purchase them himself saving the taxpayers money. The Selectmen agreed to this. I apologize for any confusion from the previous posting.

I do know that the State Police have been patrolling this area. I stopped beside the road in Cary one morning on my way to school to see if I had forgotten some papers I needed for my class, sure enough I had. A State Police Officer went by going south on the Calais Road. I turned around to retrieve the work I had forgotten at home. When I started down the hill on the Lycette Road, the Officer was turning around in Eric's driveway. Since I was driving the posted speed limit, 40 miles per hour, it was not a problem. So we know the area is patrolled at times and I'm sure if you are speeding, you will be ticketed for it.

Larry Hamilton

Thank You Card From Vital Pathways

On April 3rd and 4th, Members of the Reed School Committee helped man the Vital Pathways booth at the Home and Garden Show held at the Miller Civic Center in Houlton. The committee would like to thank Vital Pathways for the "Accent on Assets" mini grant awarded to the Reed School Project and for the opportunity to give our project so much exposure by being included in their booth. We look forward to working closely with Vital Pathways in the future.

I just wanted to let you know that I think you have done a great job on this site. I really enjoyed all the history, much of which I never knew. I still have more to read. I will also enjoy being able to keep up with what is going on by reading your updates. You guys have really done a LOT of work here. I too, appreciate all the work you have done here.
Thank You,
Cleve Hall

I know I would like to give some thanks for my home to someone, but not sure really who it goes to. So, being brought up the way I was, I would have to give thanks to Darrell, Peter, and You.We really appreciate our home and very proud of it.

I have finally got everything settled, and living very comfortable. I really appreciate the help I received in getting this all done.

Thanks again

Robbie, Julie, and Family

Came across your web site today, never expected to see a web site for Amity. Was told about it by a nephew who lives in N. H. You are to be commended for your efforts, a great idea !! I was born there, in the old house at the foot of Spring Hill. Most of the old names that I knew are no longer around, either moved away or passed away, the last one, to my knowledge, being Millard Simpson. I tried to get to see him whenever I was up there, I still have a sister living in Houlton. I have the book about Millard's father which I had him autograph one time when I was up there, As you undoubtedly know, Millard's picture is in the front of the book.

I went to grade school in South Amity, went from there to Ricker. Knew just about all the families in town at that time. I believe that the name that I read that this is going to is Cone. Is that perchance a Hodgdon name? It seems that in the distant past I sometimes heard the name of Walter Cone, didn't know him. It appears that yours is a work in progress. In the event that you might think I might have anything of interest to contribute, would enjoy hearing from you.

H. E. Boles

Enjoyed your letter. You must have quite a setup back there in the woods. Must have been quite a job clearing enough land for the arrangement that you have. I assume that you must have a few bears roaming around also.

Regret that I have no pictures of the South Amity school, don't remember ever having seen one. Marion Libby at one time showed me one that she had of the North Amity school and the teacher and students, probably taken around 1934-35. I assume that Hugh would still have that in the event that you are interested. I would like to have a copy of that because my younger sister was in it. I believe that it was the year that I started at Ricker that the powers that be apparently decided, for whatever reason, that Spring Hill would be the school dividing line. South of there would go to South Amity, North of there would go to North Amity.

Up until that time we and those who lived on the Tracy Road went to South Amity, but after that approximate time my sister Geraldine (Gerry) went to North Amity. It had to be around 1934-35 because she was only two years behind me. I believe that I remember most of what went on in those years. I remember the names of probably all of those that I was in school with, and some of those in North Amity. I believe that my first teacher was Glennie Estabrook who was also, I believe, Arthur Estabrook's daughter. They lived on the back road which I think is called the Estabrook Road. (please excuse the "I thinks" and "I believes", we're getting practically into ancient history here). I think that their old home is still there. It has been quite a while since I've been in on that road but if I remember correctly one has to go past the old Simpson place and it is possibly near Alden Hall's old place, but on the opposite side of the road.

Other teachers, not in order, I think Velora Black was one, Caroline Dwyer, Carl Reed, Verna Bubar, (before she married Clark, Verna Benson) one year, I think she was only about 18 years old then. And my last one in that school, and in my humble opinion, one of the best in any school, was Mrs. Bradley from New Limerick.She was my teacher in at least the 7th and 8th grades, I don't remember if she was there in the 6th grade.

I firmly believe that I came out of that little one room country school with as good or better a grade school education as I could have received anywhere, and that includes the cities and all those with all the bells and whistles. And a lot of the credit goes to Mrs. Bradley, and I believe she was working for seven dollars a week. I think I'll call it a day. Thanks for the letter, I enjoyed reading it, looking forward to hearing from you again.

HEB

I want to compliment you on the wonderful job you guys have done on the web site. It is just fantastic. I know all the hard work you have put into it, and I for one appreciate it and say "a special Thank You".

I will be visiting often to see the updates.Good Luck,

Margaret