Author: Community Radio WERU FM

Talk of the Towns 1/11/19

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Engineer: Amy Browne

Community concerns and opportunities: Looking back and looking forward—the view from Deer Isle, Stockton Springs and Mount Desert

Key Discussion Points:
Thumbnail sketches of geography, population and demographics
economic base, history of Deer Isle, Stockton Springs, Mount Desert
Brief overviews of town Governance structures:
Selectboard, town meeting, key committees
Opportunities and challenges from the past year… achievements?
Opportunities and challenges for the year ahead
Comparison of
Tax base (valuation), budget and tax rate
Portion of budget for education
How do you handle capital costs?
How is your volunteer base holding up (town committees, public safety, etc.)
Examples of town to town and town to non-governmental partnerships and collaboration
What is most satisfying about your work as town manager?
What makes your town a good place to live?

Guests:
Jim Fisher, Town Manager, Deer Isle
Courtney O’Donnell, Town Manager, Stockton Springs
Durlin Lunt, Town Manager, Mount Desert

RadioActive 1/10/19

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Environmental and Social Justice: Penobscot Tribe Response to Department of Environmental Protection Appointment

Key Discussion Points:
a) Today we hear from the Penobscot Nation Chief, Ambassador and other community leaders on Governor Mills’ recent nomination of Assistant Attorney General Jerry Reid to head the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
b) In his position in the Attorney General’s Office, he was lead counsel in the still ongoing cases Penobscot Nation v. Attorney General Janet Mills and the State’s lawsuit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s order to increase water quality standards in tribal sustenance fishing waters.
c) The Legislative Environmental and Natural Resources Committee is expected to hold a public hearing on Reid’s nomination sometime this month.

Today’s program was produced with the Sunlight Media Collective. Josh Woodbury and Chek Wingo of Sunlight Media Collective provided field audio. Video, transcripts and updates will be posted at www.sunlightmediacollective.org.

Guests:
Maria Girouard, Penobscot, historian, activist, co-founder of Dawnland Environmental Defense www.facebook.com/dawnlanddefense
Chief Kirk Francis, Penobscot Nation
Maulian Dana, Penobscot Nation Ambassador www.facebook.com/AmbassadorDana
Sherri Mitchell, attorney, author, activist www.facebook.com/sacredinstructions

For more information on confirmation hearing:
Joint Legislative Environment and Natural Resources Committee legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/ENR
Community Water Justice: www.facebook.com/communitywaterjustice/