To the editor:
On September 1st, I end one chapter of life and move to the next ending over 33 years of public service to the State of Maine. I have served multiple programs within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services tasked with protecting the most vulnerable of our citizens and have been fortunate to lead a team of dedicated professionals in Aroostook County who, on a daily basis, investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in our adult and elderly population.
Protecting Maine’s most vulnerable populations, whether children, disabled adults, or the elderly, is not easy and fraught with challenges. Members of my team are unselfish in their commitment. In addition to the work they do for the State of Maine they are all active members of our local communities. They are parents, grandparents and like all of us, they are taxpayers.
In spite of years with no raises, shutdown days, changes in the pension system, and more expensive health care public employees have proposed a two-year contract that does not add any additional expense to the cost of doing the public’s business. The proposal is more evidence of the willingness to help get our economy back to where it should be.
Please join with me in calling for the LePage Administration to settle the contract with its employees so that both sides can get back to work providing doing what we do best – providing quality public service to the citizens of the State of Maine.
Calvin F. Hall, Presque Isle
