Raymond RSU14 Withdrawal Committee meets with residents - By Walter Lunt

The Raymond RSU14 Withdrawal Committee revealed new school cost information and accepted comments and questions Tuesday night on Raymond’s petition-initiated proposal to separate from Windham schools. Several dozen residents, mostly from Raymond, inquired about the effect on school programs, infrastructure and school district finances during the 90-minute session.

Committee chair Joe Bruno said the meeting’s sole purpose was to provide Raymond voters with the facts and figures needed to decide whether the separation idea should proceed. Given the recent resolution of the school funding formula between the two towns, the issue is now scheduled for a June vote in Raymond.

Bruno presented to the group cost estimates if Raymond remained or withdrew from the RSU. Based on recent statistics and future projections, Bruno said the best estimate of Raymond’s obligation to the district, if it were to stay in the union, would be between 8.3 million and 8.7 million dollars. Withdrawing would increase the amount to between $9.2 and $12 million, a net yearly increase to taxpayers of between $200 and $650 on the school side of the budget. Committee co-chair Teresa Sadak said she disagrees with those figures, but did not elaborate. Additionally, legal and other expenses associated with a formal withdrawal have cost other districts between $20,000 and $50,000. Raymond has already budgeted just over $20,000 for a possible separation.

The pros and cons of RSU withdrawal were also discussed. Proponents of separation pointed to a higher degree of local control. “Three of nine is not much of a voice,” commented one speaker during the public hearing, referring to the composition of the district school board which has six elected representatives from Windham, and three from Raymond, based on population.

Opponents of separation point out the expanded infrastructure of a larger school district, which can offer expanded and varied programs, such as courses and additional sports options, as a plus. The ability to attract full-time teachers rather than part time, such as half or 2/5 type positions is also a benefit.

Former school board chairperson Katrina Sangster said the long range outlook for Raymond is for a steady or lower student population which could force higher per-pupil costs.

Windham Primary School teacher Rebecca Cole said educational teams made up of teachers from both towns “…don’t talk about kids from Raymond and kids from Windham,” they discuss programs for all students, pointing out much of the district’s collaborative work could be lost in a separation.

A revised funding formula that divides the cost obligation of each town, as recommended by the school board, was approved by a small number of voters (fewer than 200) in March. It lowered Raymond’s local portion of the running of the school district from 45 percent to 36 percent over three years, leaving Windham to pick up more of the cost above what the state funds. The vote also stipulated that the cost of any new school construction (or building additions) would be borne by the town in which the school, or addition, was built.

Still unknown, however, is whether the school board action helped to quell the concerns of Raymond residents. The withdrawal committee wants guidance on the question and has called for a vote at the Town’s June 9^th general election. Chairman Bruno says the yes or no ballot question will ask voters whether the RSU withdrawal effort should continue or abandon its work.

Public testimony at Tuesday’s hearing revealed little as to which way the community is leaning. Bruno observed that many of the comments reflected citizens’ concerns with the school board, not the withdrawal committee.

Town of Raymond retains AAA Rating from Standard and Poor's - By Michelle Libby

The Town of Raymond was issued an “AAA” rating after the need to sell $885,000 in General Obligation Bonds. Raymond received an AAA rating a few years ago and are pleased to report that they have again been giving the AAA score, the highest issued. 
 

“There is a small club of Maine communities that have that rating,” said town manager Don Willard. “It’s very difficult to achieve that and to have it twice is an achievement for the town.” 

The rating report cites the town’s strong financial condition coupled with strong management policies as leading factors in maintaining S&P’s highest rating category.  S&P considers Raymond’s economy to be strong with access to the broad and diverse economy of the Greater Portland region.  Raymond is led by a strong management team backed with prudent fiscal policies.  Very strong budgetary performance and low debt levels are also considered to be very positive attributes of Raymond. S&P also reflected in their report that Raymond has healthy reserve levels; very strong tax collections; high income levels and very strong per capita market value of real estate.

“It’s an indication that things are going well for the community,” said Willard, indicating the competency of both elected and appointed town position. 

The “Stable” outlook indicates that Raymond would likely retain the AAA rating over the next two year horizon given the town’s continued strong financial performance, the underlying strong local economy and the strength of its internal management.

“The bond has been approved and now we’re issuing it,” Willard said. 

The bonds will fund the construction of a new salt/sand storage facility and the purchase a new fire truck.

Military descends on Raymond for the start of the second year of Innovative Readiness Training - By Michelle Libby

Despite the rainy weather at the beginning of the week, military personnel from Georgia and Michigan rolled into Raymond to set up camp before the second year of IRT doing construction projects at Camp William Hinds and for the Town of Raymond. Camp Hinds provides space for the military to set up camp and gives them office space in their training center on Plains Road. 

The 1/16^th Civil Engineering Squadron (Air Force) and the 127 Unit out of Michigan are setting up camp, erecting tents, outfitting trailers as showers and offices this week.

The soldiers will arrive at Camp Hinds for two week rotations, different units each time, continuing on the work completed by the previous unit. 

Monday, May 4^th will be the start of the second rotation of soldiers on site. They will begin projects for Raymond and at Camp Hinds. 

Other towns are also looking into writing a proposal to work with the military while they are here, said Camp Hinds ranger Scott Martin.  

This week was also vacation week for RSU14 and many Boy Scouts attended an overnight program in the training center. 

“We’d rather have all the noise and the hinges falling off, than have them rust off from lack of use,” said Scout Executive Eric Tarbox, as the boys prepared for their lunch. The military personnel agreed that the noise was just what should be happening at Camp Hinds. 

“The Fly First Class Scouts all said how much fun they are having watching the service men and women setting up camp while they are learning basic Scout skills of setting up a camp,” said Tarbox. 

The Air National Guard will have personnel onsite for the duration of the program this summer, which will end August 30^th. There will be four rotations of Marines from Battle Creek a bridge company from Michigan under the direction of Capt. Christopher Scannell, USMCR. The company will be working on the Tenney River Bridge that spans one section of the camp to the other. 

The bridge project provides the Battle Creek Marines the opportunity to work on a bridge they might not normally train with. Scannell anticipants the bridge project to be complete before late-June when the Boy Scout staff arrive at camp. 

“We wanted to have a little unity of effort,” said Scannell, who said his unit usually trains at their home base. The program in Raymond provides the military a chance to train with other branches of the service, while completing a mission. At different times there will be Marines, Air Force, Navy Seabees and Navy Corpsmen (medical personnel). There will even be Royal Marines from England for cross/joint training opportunities, said Scannell. 

“Marines work hard and will work all night if we ask them to,” said Scannell. 

The major project for this summer is creating the foundation for the dining hall at Camp Hinds. Other projects units will be working on include building an athletic field, building three or four staff cabins, some of which will be transported and assembled at another Boy Scout camp, and the addition of elements to the COPE course, which the Marines call a “leadership reaction course.” 

 

The Town of Raymond will also use the military this summer for a few projects including erecting a tower for communications and public safety after putting in a road and clearing the site, according to town manager Don Willard. They will also create fire ponds and work at the Public Safety building lot on Route 302.

Each unit that arrives has a specialty, be it building bridges, putting in foundations or excavation work.

Master Sergeant Doug Cyr from the 101^st Engineering Air Refueling Wing in Maine is the onsite NCO in charge for Camp Hinds on orders from the Pentagon. Lt. Colonel Tony Costanzo from the USAF is the other officer in charge with Capt. Scannell.

Exotic animals in Raymond - By Walter Lunt

The Raymond Parent-Teacher Organization, Raymond Village Library and Engineered Construction Services (ECS) of Raymond teamed up to bring area children a close encounter with exotic animals over April vacation.
 

The program, Wildlife Encounters of Rochester, New Hampshire, was an obvious thrill for the more than 100 children and adults in attendance at the Raymond Public Safety Building last Monday. The program also carried a serious message.

Derek, the Encounter’s presenter, treated area preschool through elementary-aged kids and their families to several non-native animals and was rewarded with reactions ranging from awe to squeals of delight.

First up was Sid, a white cockatoo with funky feet, who performed a table-top dance that prompted a chorus of cheers and laughter. The delight, however, died back significantly when Sid demonstrated its ear-piercing warning cry of the jungle. Sid, Derek explained, was actually a descendant of ancient crocodiles and dinosaurs. Feathers replaced scales in the slow process of adaptation. Pointing to the large black eyes on each side of the bird’s head, he had the kids repeat a learning rhyme:  “Eyes on the side, I like to hide. Eyes in front (like an owl) I like to hunt.”

As the 90-minute presentation progressed, kids got a close-up look at creatures more commonly seen in magazines and on the National Geographic channel.  

The African hedgehog, resembling a large, fur-lined pin cushion, hid his face when curled up for protection. Derek challenged a front row attendee to flip the animal onto its back. The attempt, although cheered on by the audience, met with no success. The Komodo lizard, known as the alligator’s evil cousin in its native land, mimics the Gila monster for protection. Joey, the wallaby, licks soil while leaning out of its mother’s pouch to absorb nutrient rich microbes. 

 

Some of the animals, explained Derek, are threatened species. 

The discussion centered on how people can live their lives in ways that help animals survive. One example involved the southwest king snake, which emerged from a carrier wrapped around the presenter’s hand and wrist. Ranchers and farmers import the reptiles. King snakes main food source is other snakes and helps rid the ranch land of threatening species, such as rattlesnakes. The practice, known as bio-mimicry, is environmentally friendly. 

Other practices, such as carbon sequestration, mentioned but not explained in depth (due to the limited age and experiences of the young audience) deal with using the earth’s own resources to solve the problems of modern humanity. As Derek put it, “It’s not ‘save the earth,’ it’s ‘promote a human life support system’.”

Following the presentation, audience members got the chance to pet the hedgehog and the king snake. There was less interest in the snake.

Photos were submitted by Lisa Davison.