Beyond the South End

By Ted Sylvester

(Aunt Fanny was a fictitious person Ted used to write to in this column. She resided up in Aroostook County when Ted used to work up that way for the BDN. Note the school controversy. Sound familiar?)

Dear Aunt Fanny:

It’s been a year since our last correspondence. We are sending greetings and holiday wishes from the good folks of Midcoast Maine. All in all, it has been a pretty good year along this, the best section of the coast. Sure, we’ve had some difficulties, controversies, and tragedies, but we are all looking forward to a happy and prosperous new year.

The tourist season along the coast was superb, judging from all the traffic along Route 1 that at times was backed up from here to Bath and beyond. There was plenty of economic development hereabouts. The industrial park continued to attract tenants. There was construction of a brand new shopping center that opened in full force this year, and the enlargement of a competing supermarket in a shopping center down the street.

Unemployment was at an all-time low. In fact, Knox County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at last report. Even the weather cooperated most of the year. Oh sure, we had some heavy storms last winter and more than our share of snow. But the summer was especially nice, and we always seem to be spared the disastrous storms. The major flood in April virtually avoided us.

Some of the major events of the year involved a number of subjects, ranging from fish odors to school board reapportionment. At year’s end, the fish odor controversy was far from over, but the school apportionment issue was finally settled after court battles, school board battles, and a final decision by the State Board of Education. During the controversy, the towns of Owls Head and South Thomaston considered withdrawing from the district. These efforts fizzled when they failed to gain voter support.

On the city level, the major developments, or non-developments, during 1987, besides the continuing controversy over whether Seapro should be allowed to continue its fish-rendering operations, included indecision and the lack of a fish-pier operation, numerous court battles with developer Theodore Stone, and a furor over whether a small public park should have been used for a new playground. It was, and is, used extensively. The community effort to collect more than a million pennies for the project was the most commendable example of public spirit this city has seen for many years.

The basketball and golf teams from Rockland also created considerable excitement this year. Both the boys and girls basketball teams went to the Eastern Maine finals against teams from Mt. View. While the local teams didn’t capture the gold, their efforts were outstanding. And as usual, nobody in the state can touch the RDHS Gold Team.

There were so many changes in personnel this year, at both the city and school levels, one needed a score card to keep track. Some of the changes in SAD 5 included a new superintendent, new principal, and new football and basketball coaches. At City Hall, newcomers included an assessor, a finance director, and a public works director. At year’s end, both the city clerk and city attorney had announced their resignations to be effective early in 1988.

There also was a changing of the guard on the elected boards. The council and school board saw two new faces being seated on each. As the two bodies looked at the new year, leaders promised that cohesiveness and cooperation would be the order of the day. On the city level, it appeared that a restructuring of departments was in the making, with the addition of a city planner and a full-time city attorney.

Well, Aunt Fanny, that’s just touching some of the highlights of the year. I couldn’t close though without reporting on the trials and tribulations of the Friendly Do-It-Yourselfer. Overall, he had a pretty darn good year if one overlooks just a couple of deeds, like his self-inflicted gout with a spade, falling face first, naked, onto the floor of the shower room at the Trade Winds, and a bout with wifemate’s car in attempting to hook up a clock.

Happy New Year, Aunt Fanny, and have a Cool Yule.

Ted

Note: I believe that the following year, my nephew, Stuart Sylvester, Ted’s son, applied for and got the job of City Clerk since the position became vacant in 1987. He celebrated 25 years of service in 2012 I believe.