Dear Editor:

I am uncomfortable with the fact the Boothbay's town manager has become a board member of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce. Does anyone else see this as a conflict of interest? I certainly do.

In my opinion, the recent approval by the Boothbay selectmen to appropriate the sum of $2,000 "from the contingency fund" towards a trolley to transport tourist train passengers from Wiscasset to the Boothbay peninsula was not appropriate. If local businesses and the Chamber want to support this project, let them do so. This matter should not have ever been presented to the selectmen.

Personally, I would much rather see our town officials focus on lowering tax rates, controlling budgets, and focusing on the safety and welfare of Boothbay's citizens.

The town manager and "the overseers of the poor" should realize that there are still a lot of genuinely local families, including mine, struggling to live in — and stay in — the town they love and allocating $2,000 for something as frivolous as a trolley sends a very uncaring message.

Sadly, based on recent history, I believe our overseers' priorities have become warped.

Perhaps a few folks at the town office should take that proposed trolley back to Wiscasset, board the train, and keep on riding.

John McKown
Boothbay