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| Photo courtesy of Donna Delong Walt Whitcomb, Maine’s commissioner of agriculture and the designee for the newly combined Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, posed with Bill Beardsley, current conservation commissioner, outside the northern Maine meeting last Tuesday. |
By Donna DeLong
Special to the Aroostook Republican
CARIBOU — The third public forum on the pending merger of the departments of Agriculture and Conservation into the new Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (MDACF) was held Aug. 7 at the Caribou Performing Arts Center.
Earlier forums were held at the University of Maine at Orono and at The Maine Forest Products Council in Augusta in June.
Walt Whitcomb, commissioner designee for the new Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and Bill Beardsley, current commissioner of conservation, opened the forum. Many others from around the state have weighed in on issues that they would like to see change or stay the same under the new format.
“This merger will support the people and the economy of Maine and protect Maine’s precious land-based natural resources. He stated people are cautiously supportive in expressing their concerns which are very helpful, listening to the people of Maine are very important,” Whitcomb said.
Further comments, he said, can be e-mailed from ACFMerger@maine.gov or persons may go to the website (www.maine.gov/acf) to view news and updates as well as read minutes of past meetings.
Beardsley discussed the significant role that MCACF will play in keeping Maine’s industries alive and well. “Our Maine Native American brook trout is only found in Aroostook County out of the lower 48 states. We have an abundance of fresh water and Class 1 rivers,” he said. He spoke about keeping private imposed reserves and noted that 95 percent of Maine land is privately owned and the usage of this land is given freely by many large landowners. “There must be a focus on land and crops. We must put out fires and plant disease fast,” he added.
Beardsley said, “Enhance the value that you own, add value to that what you want us to do, not what we want to do. We need input of how and where, when and where, and when we should get out of the way.”
After a short video and the opening statements of the two facilitators, the forum opened up to the public to share their thoughts and concerns.
Don Flannery, executive director Maine Potato Board had concerns if one person running both departments would be enough. He suggested that two deputies be hired, one for forestry and one for agriculture. He also thought that a division of Parks and Lands be looked at to see if they would be better served by management of the Maine Potato Board.
“This would give support time to sort out the somewhat careful ‘walk before you run’ approach,” Flannery said.
Kathy Mazzuchelli, Caribou’s superintendent of Parks and Recreation, did not feel that the two divisions should be split, but was concerned about funding.
“In Aroostook County alone we have worked with the Dept. of Conservation to infuse nearly one quarter of a million dollars over the last few years from the RTP fund to restore State-owned trail infrastructure. Urging the current administration to continue with this funding stream for the purpose of continued trail development and maintenance would be greatly appreciated.
“On a related topic I would also like to encourage you to review and support new strategies that will enhance the funding stream for snowmobile trail maintenance that may include, but not be limited to, a mix of sales tax, gas tax, excise tax and user fees,” she said. Mazzuchelli also noted that $250 million in revenue for snowmobile trail systems “runs on the back of volunteers.”
Jeanne Curran, director of public information for the Maine Department of Conservation said, “These public stakeholder meetings have gone well and we have had very good response and comments that have been very helpful.”
About 35 were in attendance and about seven people spoke. Including issues from the Caribou Fire Department and the need for equipment and McCain Foods, Inc. as well as farmers in the area.
There will be another forum in October that is yet to be announced.
