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May 16, 2000 Volume 1 Number 9 Index
SAD 6 Bans Cell PhonesSAD 6 School Board votes to Ban Cell Phones
Also later in this issue:
Election Day is Tuesday June 13th
Cable Company Releases List of RoadsIn the last issue:
May 4th Special Town Meeting Results
Controversial Sign to StayJump to the June 8th edition
Cellular Phones and pagers to be prohibited from school even if left turned off during the day.
by Dick Jarrett
In a unanimous decision last night, the SAD 6 School Board voted to adopt a policy that students may not possess cell phones or pagers while school is in session. The new rules are slated to take effect in September. No members of the general public spoke either in opposition or in favor of the new restrictions. However some school board members did question the ban on carrying a phone that was turned off. Such phones are currently used to arrange rides following an after school event and for personal safety purposes. The new policy will not allow such use in that carrying even inactive phones is prohibited as long as school is in session. The policy explicitly states that a person (including another student) who discovers that a student has such a device is required to report the violation to an administrator who will then confiscate the paging device. However, Principal Sheila Jepson stated that the administration will not be searching backpacks for such devices. Cell phones, pagers, beepers, and any telecom devices including silent displays and vibrating signals are all covered by the policy. The new rules apply to all grades (K through 12).
Superintendent Dr. Grace Ward openly worried about the "family packs" being instituted by some telephone providers such as AT&T and MCI where "every kid in a family can have their own cellular phone." She stated that having this policy in place now will help the schools before that trend becomes commonplace in the next five to ten years.
The board also stated that the danger of accidentally setting off an explosive device by using a cell phone was a "very very slim slim chance" and that that issue was really a moot point. That reason was initially stated as one of the justifications for the new rules.
The single exception to the policy may have the unintended side effect of boosting interest in local fire and rescue squads. Some students are junior members of the local volunteer fire or rescue departments and these students are exempted from the regulations and will be allowed to carry active cellular phones and pagers at school.
In the same motion but on an unrelated issue, the Board also tightened the regulations on homeschoolers who wish to obtain a degree from the high school.
Election Day is June 13th Primary Election for US Congress, Primary Election for Maine Legislature, Primary Election for Probate Positions, and Budget Approval for SAD 6 to be held Tuesday June 13, 2000
Members of all parties will get a chance to speak their minds on the final budget for SAD 6 in June. The SAD 6 budget referendum ballot contains nine separate articles. A public hearing will be held at the Limington Municipal Complex on Wednesday May 24th at 7 PM to further explain this budget. Earlier this month, local voters agreed that the Town of Limington could sell the East Limington Fire Barn to SAD 6 for $5,000. In June, all of the voters in SAD 6 will be asked if SAD 6 should actually purchase this building. SAD 6 plans on using the old fire barn as a storage facility.
The primary ballots for elective office will vary depending upon which political party the voter is registered with as well as which district within Limington the voter resides. All of Limington shares the same districts for US Senator, US Representative, State Senator, and Probate Positions. Republicans will get to choose between Jim Campbell and Mike McAlevey for State senator. All seats allow for write in candidates.
The State Representative Districts for Limington are split. Part of Limington shares a State Representative with Standish (the District 43 seat currently held by Adam Mack). The greater part of Limington shares a State Representative with Waterboro (the District 12 seat currently held by Mike McAlevey). Democrats in District 12 will get to choose between Limington resident Dennis Doughty and Waterboro resident Frank Tarazewich. Republicans in District 12 will get to choose between Willis Lord and Brenda Charland, both of whom are current selectpersons in Waterboro.
The Town of Waterboro is holding a "Meet the candidate's night" on Thursday May 25th at 7 PM at the Waterboro Town Hall. State Represenative District 12 (parts of Limington) and State Senate District 34 (all of Limington) serve Waterboro.
The Reform Party and Green Party ballots have no candidates listed although write-in candidates are of course permitted.
Click Here to see the full sample ballots for this primary election for all parties and districts.
For the sample ballots for the SAD 6 Budget Referendum, Click Here.
Cable Company Releases List of Roads
The new franchise agreement requires that eighty percent of homes on roads in Limington without cable must be offered service by the end of August.
The local cable committee working in conjunction with the new cable franchise owner has come up with the list of roads in Limington that will receive cable by the end of August of this year. Basically all roads in Limington that currently do not have cable access were examined and the total number of homes on these roads was calculated. Then roads starting with those with the greatest population density were added until the number of homes that could be connected equaled eighty percent of that total number. All in all, nearly twenty-five miles of cable will be added to allow service to up to 344 new potential customers. The following chart lists the roads that the Town of Limington would like to have cabled under the new franchise agreement. Some minor changes to the list may be released in the future.
Number of Homes Length in Miles Route 25 West from Route 11 Route 25 to North Rd. 12 1.3 Route 25 from North Rd. to Christian Hill Rd. 2 0.3 Christian Hill Rd. 10 0.8 Hanscomb School Rd. crossing North Rd. 26 2.1 Route 25 from Christian Hill Rd. to Whaleback Rd. 5 1.9 Route 25 from Whaleback Rd to Tucker Rd. 22 1.1 Tucker Road (Route 25 end) 11 0.8 Route 25 from Tucker Rd. to Cornish Town Line 14 0.8 Route 117 to Douglas Road 11 0.5 Douglas Road 6 0.25 Route 117 from Douglas Road to Norton Road 16 1.2 Route 117 South and Roads off Route 117 Route 117 South of School to Moody Rd. 21 1.3 Moody Road off Route 117 24 1.3 Route 117 from Moody Rd. to Jo Joy Rd. 31 3.7 Route 117 from Jo Joy Rd. to Hollis Town Line 11 0.7 Route 25 West side from Route 11 to Saco River Shaving Hill Road 13 1.3 Pine Hill Road off Boothby Rd. 6 0.2 Boothby Road from Pine Hill Rd. 20 1.1 Hardscrabble Road East End (to no poles) 16 1.6 Hardscrabble to Nason's Mill Road 14 0.8 Nason's Mill Road 24 0.6 Sanbornville Road off Nason's Mill Road 14 0.4 Sand Pond Road 15 0.8 Total 344 24.85 Approximate number of homes in Limington not cabled is as follows:
Approximate number of homes - 427
Approximate number of miles - 36.25
80% of total number of homes not cabled, Approximately - 341
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