Improve patient quality of life
To the editor:
As a cancer survivor, I’ve experienced first-hand how the mental and physical side effects of treatment can take a toll on one’s quality of life. As health care professionals focus on the cancer treatment itself, comfort and concerns such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath and anxiety are sometimes overlooked.
That’s where palliative care can help. It’s a growing field of specialized medical care that improves the quality of life of patients and their families by focusing on symptoms of treatment for a serious disease such as cancer. Palliative care is a big change in health care delivery, and it works in favor of the patient.
Last week, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to urge Congressman Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) to co-sponsor a bill currently pending in Congress that would increase education of and access to palliative care.
Our lawmakers must take this opportunity to increase access to palliative care so patients and their families have that extra layer of support when they need it most. I know our conversation made a difference in the halls of Congress, and I encourage you to add your voice.
Visit www.acscan.org to be connected to people like me in your community.
Karin Howe, volunteer
American Cancer Society
Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
Wade
A loss for a community
On Sept. 14, Town Manager Butch Asselin presented a proposal to the Houlton Town Council to combine the Houlton Police Department dispatch services with another agency. According to Town Manager Asselin this proposal is the result of a request made by the Council back in October of 2014. This is not a proposal to combine dispatch services. This is a proposal to eliminate the dispatch services at the Houlton Police Department and outsource the dispatch services to another agency. The proposal showed a savings to the Town of Houlton of $150,000 a year. The contracting agencies will be either the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department or the Maine State Police. There were a few people at the meeting that spoke out against the proposal.
On Sept. 28 a discussion of eliminating the dispatch services at the Houlton Police Department continued. In attendance were Mr. Wells from Augusta, representing the Department of Public Safety. Also in attendance was Sheriff Darrell Crandall of the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department. Council members had the opportunity to ask questions to both representatives. Sheriff Crandall twice advised the town council members to keep the current dispatch services of the Houlton Police Department. Mr. Wells advised his agency could handle the extra dispatch services. There was also a larger group of citizens from Houlton in attendance. Again several citizens spoke out against the proposal.
The positives for the Town of Houlton are a savings of money. On this savings I spoke with a couple of council members and asked if this savings would have an impact on the mil rate. The answer I received was “No.” The savings would be an attempt to replace the lack of monies lost from other sources, one being the state of Maine.
The negatives for the Town of Houlton are a lot: (1) the loss of four dispatchers with a combined dispatch experience of over 60 years; (2) the loss of control of dispatch services for the agencies we currently provide dispatch services; (3) the loss of $9,000 the Houlton Water Company currently pays to the Town of Houlton for their dispatch services; (4) the loss of individual dispatching for each agency we currently assist, Police Department, Fire Department, Ambulance Service, Public Works and the Houlton Water Company; and (5) the lobby of the Houlton Police Department being closed from 4 p.m.-8 a.m. during the work week and the lobby closed on weekends and holidays. During these closure hours the citizens will need to push a button on a call box outside the PD and speak with the dispatch agency, at a different location, over an intercom system.
My concern is the loss of individual interaction of the dispatch center with the personnel of the agencies to which HPD provides dispatch services. This individual working relationship has produced excellent teamwork. The teamwork has produced outstanding service for the citizens of Houlton and the surrounding communities. This will be lost if we outsource the dispatch services. The Town of Houlton has a history of community pride and outstanding service. The Town of Houlton has never compromised that pride and service by eliminating the long time service of its employees.
I will leave you with this thought. As a citizen of Houlton, do you want to call and hear, “Houlton Police Department, how may I help you” or hear, “Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department” or “Public Safety”? Do you want to speak with someone who represents you as a citizen of Houlton or as a citizen of Aroostook County?
The Houlton Town Council will meet on Oct. 13 at 6:00 p.m. and vote on the proposal to close the Houlton Police Dispatch Center. Please come and express your opinion. Do not lose another piece of Houlton.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. Milton
Dispatcher of HPD
Freedom was taken away
To the editor:
I live in a confusing time and place. I live in a country where my father and father-in-law both fought in WWII for our freedom. Our son also fought in Iraq for yet again our freedom. Just to remind everyone freedom is not free. Many gave their lives and are still dying on foreign soil far away from their families for my freedom, along with each one of you.
I also live in a country where my basic right to stand peacefully watching neighbors and community folk participating in a fun activity is denied.
Recently, my husband and I went to a public event held at Houlton Tire on Bangor St. (where we also do business). The event was a Bike Rodeo following a Motorcycle Ride featuring the United Vets Motorcycle Club and Houlton Humane Society. We support both the Humane Society and the United Vets. Just last year an event held at Pleasant View farm for the Houlton Humane Society my husband and I volunteered our time helping out with this event and I also cooked for the bake sale.
Not sure how long we were there enjoying the Rodeo and the motor bikes and talking to the owners of the bikes, but several rodeo games had gone on. We were getting ready to leave when Captain Pelletier from the Houlton Police Department came walking toward us. His seriousness was good indication he wasn’t there to be social but for another reason.
Capt. Pelletier told me and the female friend I was with — a veteran’s wife who was just taking pictures of friends doing the rodeo — that we weren’t welcome at the event and that we had to leave immediately. I asked him why, and he said because Heather Miller and Monica Gray didn’t want either one of us there.
My husband asked a few questions and Pelletier told him this had nothing to do with him, he could stay. I asked what I was doing or had done and was told it didn’t matter just that Miller and Gray didn’t want us there and I, we, had to go.
Here is where the confusion comes in. I was not drunk, unruly, making a scene or any action that would warrant the cops to be called and have me removed. I asked if it was a private event since I only saw the United Vets and the volunteers there we seemed to be the only “public or true supporters.” I was told no, but I already knew the answer before I asked the question since I had seen it advertised. So I knew that wasn’t the reason for being asked to leave. Truth be told, there was no sound or logical reason.
What I was told is you can have people removed from a public event the complainant is sponsoring for no other reason than they don’t like you, because they are “controlling the venue.” Where is the freedom in that? Were my rights violated? You tell me!
I still support the Houlton Humane Society and always will. I do not support Heather Miller and the way she runs the Shelter and conducts herself.
Cj Virgie
Hodgdon
