Dear Editor:

I was proud to be a part of the community of Edgecomb yesterday at the school budget voting and at the polls, casting ballots for candidates for local positions and on the town warrant articles.

We had lots of discussion and debate at the packed school budget meeting, all of it civil and considerate as well as informative. Our moderator, Melissa Holmes did an exemplary job in a complicated and confusing forum. The end product was a compromise which kept the budget increases low and satisfied all parties involved. A group of citizens did their due diligence researching our school budget and finding areas which needed improvement. Without their work, we might not have had such a good outcome. Edgecomb residents’ property taxes increased by 33% last year and because of the work of these people, and the current selectboard and budget committee, we will see a very small increase in our mill rate this year.

The day was a great example of our democracy in action. There were no political parties taking sides and dividing our community, just residents debating and discussing the issues at hand. If only our larger government bodies could operate as well. Our little town of 1,200 set an example we should be proud of.

Congratulations to Edgecomb!

Lisa McSwain

Edgecomb