Governor nominates Windham attorney to serve on Maine District Court

Attorney Sarah Churchill of Windham
has been nominated by Governor
Janet Mills to serve on the Maine
District Court. COURTESY PHOTO  

AUGUSTA — Maine Gov. Janet Mills has nominated Sarah Churchill of Windham for appointment to the Maine District Court.

Last week, the Maine Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary voted to advance Ms. Churchill’s nomination, which now faces a final confirmation by the Maine State Senate, according to State Sen. Bill Diamond. 

“Sarah is a fantastic nominee to the Maine District Court, who has made her community proud for many years,” said Sen. Diamond. “She is very well qualified for the position, and I’m pleased to support her nomination.”

Churchill completed studies at Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in 1999 and graduated cum laude from The University of Maine School of Law in 2002. She has been in private practice for almost 20 years and is an accomplished criminal defense attorney with extensive experience in civil matters, including employment discrimination and personal injury law.

While working for the firm of Nichols & Tucker, PA in Portland, Churchill has also served with a number of professional associations, including the Maine Indigent Legal Services Commission, and is an admired member of the legal community. 

In private practice, Churchill has represented citizens accused of crimes as well as plaintiffs in civil cases ranging from personal injury to civil rights violations. In 2011, she was elected by her peers as the president of the Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In that role, she worked extensively with the legislature and judiciary to improve the quality of Maine’s provision of effective assistance of legal representation for those unable to afford counsel in criminal cases as well as in family law matters.

The Maine District Court consists of 38 judges and is responsible for all matters of family law, with original jurisdiction in non-felony criminal cases, traffic infractions and civil violations. The court also hears foreclosure cases, mental health cases, small claims and other assorted matters, Diamond said.

Appointments to the Maine District Court are for terms of seven years. This court always sits without a jury. <

Recovery during the pandemic; maintaining sobriety during a year of social distancing

By Lorraine Glowczak  

“The effects of the pandemic have been very hard for those of us in recovery, who support each other in maintaining a life free of alcohol and/or drugs,” said Laurie (To honor her privacy, we will only use Laurie’s first name). “Addiction is a disease of isolation. Even if people are around, emotionally you feel alone. For myself, a closet drinker with a definite problem getting sober, desperation led me to a 12-step recovery program.”

Laurie went on to say that it was the love and support of a group of people who accepted her and didn’t judge her missteps that helped her discover and stay on the path of sobriety. Laurie shares her experience about staying sober during a time when public gatherings are prohibited for the safety of all involved.

“There is no one to hug, no one to share meals with, no one to have discussions with, no one to sit and share feelings with.”

According to “Medical News Today”, numerous studies have found that alcohol and drug consumption has increased during the pandemic, and dramatically so for people with depression. With the concerns regarding the increase among those who were not struggling to stay sober, leaders in the field of recovery have become extraordinarily concerned for those experiencing substance use disorder and have taken a closer look at possible increases in accidental overdoses due to the required social isolation.

Gordan Smith, State of Maine’s Director of Opioid Response said that although there have been recent increases in fatal overdoses, studies indicated that the increases began during the final quarter of 2019 before COVID.

“There is something more going on than just the impact of social distancing,” Smith said in an email interview. “Although social distancing likely has had some negative impact, we do not have hard evidence on that point currently and are taking several aggressive actions addressing the increase.”

Cumberland County District Attorney, Jonathan Sahrbeck, who oversees the Rehabilitation and Diversion Program with Coordinator Stephanie Gilbert, states that supportive environments and systems are very beneficial in maintaining a person’s recovery and he suspects social isolation is having a major impact.

“Hard data is very valuable in helping us identify a problem and taking positive action, but the lived experience should not be ignored and is a significant factor to consider,” Sahrbeck said. “It is very clear to me as a result of working with the Rehabilitation and Diversion Program that the loss of support systems can lead to relapse and fatal overdoses.”

Although there is currently no firm data available that points to social isolation and overdose – the “lived experience” of recovery during the pandemic speaks to the challenges. It is for this reason that Laurie, who has been in sobriety for 30 years, is willing to share her story.

“I am a retired nurse who lives alone in a small home I love, in the middle of the woods,” she said. “Luckily, I am an introvert, so when we were told to stay at home, it wasn't too big of a change at first. But it soon became clear that not having contact with others in recovery was becoming difficult. I was used to stopping by the recovery center for a coffee and visit a bit with whoever might be there.”

Laurie said that the isolation was also having a negative impact on her PTSD, with increasing anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.

“Before getting sober, I would use alcohol to calm the effects of a PTSD attack,” she said. “But the people I met in recovery with the addition of a spiritual path helped me when alcohol was no longer an option. At moments during the pandemic when my PTSD became unbearable and I began to find myself becoming more vulnerable to having a drink, it was the people at the recovery center who were there for me and helped me stay on the road of recovery.”

But after the recovery center closed due to the pandemic, a virtual support system was immediately put in place.

“Zoom meetings were set up that were and still are available every day,” Laurie continued. “Different kinds of meetings were developed to meet the needs of as many people as possible including phone calls and texts. I'm incredibly grateful for all of the virtual contacts but I miss seeing someone in person. I have no family in the area, so don't have a "bubble" of safe people. I struggle more with the PTSD.”

Laurie’s two sons reach out to her virtually and they meet on Zoom every few weeks. She also has a rescue dog who she enjoys loving and giving attention, but still the days of recovery during the pandemic continue to be a challenge.

“Sometimes I stand outside and realize I have seen no one for days,” she said. “I've even ordered from Amazon so the mail delivery person would drive her jeep down my driveway with a box and we'd chat a few minutes as she worked. Just that little bit of company is precious. When times are difficult, it would be so easy to go buy some wine, and no one would know. Thank God I know what would happen if I did that! And have friends who have the same fears and loneliness and struggles that support me and others to remain sober.”

For those who may be having the same “lived experience” during this year-long social isolation, Laurie offers these final words.

“For anyone who is feeling isolated and struggling during this time, know that there are people going through similar struggles who care and will be there for you as much as physically possible and that it is the right thing to reach out to either your primary [care physician], a hot line, a recovery center or a trusted friend. We need each other for support now more than ever. Remember you aren't alone......reach out. Someone who cares will be there. We're in this together.” <

Help available

If you find yourself struggling to maintain sobriety, whether during the pandemic or otherwise, there are a number of resources available:

** Maine Crisis Hotline, 1-888-568-1112

** The Intentional Warm Line, 1-866-771-9276

** Portland Recovery Community Center, 207-553-2575,

www.portlandrecovery.org/recovery-support/

** Lakes Region Recovery Center, 207-803-8709, www.lrrcbridgton.org/

Windham Town Council adopts open space master plan with eye on future

Windham has adopted a new Open Space Master Plan which
will guide the town in identifying high priority properties to
protect or acquire, provide land stewardship guidance, identify
ways to expand connectivity between open space assets and
examine ways to create potential recreational opportunities for
future generations of residents. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE     

By Ed Pierce

After months of development, public input and careful consideration of the town’s future growth and potential needs, Windham town councilors unanimously adopted the new Windham Open Space Master Plan during a meeting on Tuesday evening.

The Open Space Plan will serve as a guide for the town to identify high priority properties to protect or acquire, provide land stewardship guidance for existing open space lands, identify opportunities to expand connectivity between open space assets, neighborhoods, and trails and to outline programs, ordinances, and partners that could be instrumental in securing the future of the identified high priority properties, said Windham Planning Director Amanda Lessard. The plan recognizes that rural character is crucial to Windham’s identity as a community. It takes a proactive stance regarding preserving community character and ensures that Windham’s most cherished open spaces will remain available going forward despite strong residential growth pressures.

Lessard said that the Windham Open Space Master Plan is the culmination of nine months of work and is the town’s first comprehensive look at Windham’s open space network of conservation and recreational assets.

“The consulting team of North Star Planning and Aceto Landscape Architects worked with town staff to gather input from the community, including town committees and various stakeholder groups, to develop conservation and recreational goals to preserve Windham’s rural character and function, protect the environment, and provide diverse and equitable access to recreational opportunities,” Lessard said. “The plan will have long term implications on the Town of Windham as it will guide future decision making as it relates to managing and improving existing properties and locating and acquiring new properties for conservation, playgrounds, sports fields, and trail systems.”

Specific new open space policies contained in the plan create a framework to guide town leadership well into the future.

Some of those policies include acquiring new properties and developing new facilities, evaluation and improvement of existing properties and open-space assets and creation of opportunities to enhance and expand uses and programming at existing open space and recreational facilities in Windham, and to update existing town policies and practices focusing on recreation and open space in Windham. 

The plan recognizes that the Windham community supports acquisition and conservation of properties that provide recreation opportunities, public access to the water, protect significant habitats and water quality, and maintains the rural character of the town. It notes that the town should be prepared and ready to act when opportunities arise to grow the network of open space and recreation properties. It establishes goals of increasing access to water for residents, including lakes, ponds, and rivers; create new points of access for boating and swimming on Windham’s lakes and ponds; develop linked, long-distance trail system; complete the Mountain Division Trail to Westbrook and lead to creation of formal access to the water and along the Presumpscot and Pleasant Rivers for hand-carry boating access and additional trails for fishing and recreation; places an emphasis on large-scale conservation efforts for East Windham and Southern Windham lands; and to develop neighborhood-scale playgrounds and public spaces in underserved areas.

Under the new plan, other goals for Windham include evaluating all existing town properties for potential to contribute to open space and recreational priorities; maximizes the diversity and mix of activities and uses available in each town activity center; formalizes and protects existing open space and recreational assets; create management plans for town properties; and initiate a signage program for Windham park properties and trailheads.

The new Open Space Master Plan does not identify specific properties for acquisition, but rather provides the criteria needed for the town to make smart and strategic decisions when identifying properties that would fulfill the needs of the community. To that end, new goals also include enhanced protections for surface waters and wetlands, especially in the watersheds most at risk of development and for streams and rivers; developing and maintaining open-space partnerships and relationships; educating and incentivizing private property owners to keep lands as undeveloped open space; and reorganizing some town committees and volunteers to clarify their roles and ensure proper support from town staff. Another goal is the purchase of development rights to keep properties in private ownership, most applicable in situations where the land is used for production, like farming, pasture and hay fields, and woodlots. It emphasizes that the town should be working to make all landowners aware of the “current use” tax programs designed to keep lands in their existing, and undeveloped states.

Across Maine, open space planning has evolved into a crucial topic to towns and municipalities as development impacts the environment and strains open space resources in rural areas and major population centers in the state. Effective open space planning preserves valuable natural wetlands and vital wildlife habitat from Maine communities for future generations while helping to formulate policies used to protect environmental corridors and natural ecosystems.

Lessard said the new Open Space Master Plan aligns with the desire of Windham residents and the Windham Town Council to encourage compatible growth in the future by managing aspects of growth and development and provides long term economic benefits by helping the town avoid costly mistakes of misusing available open-space resources. <

Be The Influence Coalition promotes coping skills, positive choices with virtual programming

By Elizabeth Richards

Unable to conduct in-person prevention programs because of COVID-19, the Be The Influence Coalition (BTI) continues working toward its mission of “promoting community collaboration and positive choices in reducing youth substance use” through virtual programming.

COVID-19 has caused problems for kids in terms of engagement and isolation, said BTI Director Laura Morris.  Substance use, anxiety, depression and suicide are on the rise, so the coalition is trying to find youth engagement activities that, although virtual, offer youth ways to express themselves, building skills to counteract the adversity they face, she said.

Be The Influence Coalition is hosting a series of webinars 
for students called Empower ME through September.
A new collaborative dance program with Windham
Parks and Recreation is also launching in February.
COURTESY PHOTO

"The arts have always been proven to help kids’ self-esteem, emoting, exploration,” Morris said, so they created their Arts in Prevention series. In the fall, BTI worked with students in the Katahdin program at Windham High School, teaching them about Van Gogh and the ways he used color, forms and style to express his feelings, Morris said.  Students created their own art pieces while listening to “Starry, Starry Night” and these pieces were transferred into chalk art outdoors.

In February, the series continues with a dance program facilitated by Karen Montanaro. The program is part of DEA 360 Strategy, which “kicked off in Maine in December 2020 to provide lasting impact in communities by partnering with local government agencies, community organizations, schools, Drug Free Coalitions and law enforcement,” according to a fact sheet from the organization.  The dance program is funded by the DEA Education Foundation.  The dance program curriculum uses the Hip Hop dance style and incorporates messages about positive alternatives to drugs and gang violence, building self-esteem, teamwork and resilience. Eriko Farnsworth, Community Outreach Specialist for DEA 360 said, “We’re really excited to be part of Windham’s Arts in Prevention. It’s such a great concept.”

The Windham Parks & Recreation Department will manage the program.

“Windham Parks and Recreation is very committed to being an active member of the BTI coalition, with direct involvement geared toward youth engagement,” said Windham Parks & Recreation Director Linda Brooks.  “We are always open to any collaborative effort presented by the coalition that enhances the lives of our young people and provides them with healthy choices during their time away from school.”

The expansion is welcome.

“The youth dance program is a new type of activity for us to offer, but we are pleased to expand the breadth of our programming with the hope that we can reach more kids. Due to the DEA EF’s grant funding, the program is completely free to participants,” said Sarah Davenport, Youth and Family Coordinator for Windham Parks & Recreation. “The primary goal of the program is to provide youth with opportunities to connect with others, be physically active, and learn new skills while having fun during the after school hours. This is especially important during the pandemic when so many young people are struggling with feeling isolated.”

The dance program will run for 20 sessions, from 3 to 4 p.m. on Mondays & Wednesdays beginning Feb. 22.  Registration is through Windham Parks & Recreation at www.windhamrecreation.com or by calling 892-1905.

“We are pleased to have been able to put all of the pieces in place in order to provide this unique program to our middle school population,” Brooks said.  She added the department has successfully partnered with Morris and BTI in the past to bring a summer theater program to area youth and are looking forward to offering a similar program this spring. 

In late Spring, BTI will partner with Acorn Productions to co-facilitate a middle school theater seminar series. In the five-week program students will create a monologue and learn improvisational acting skills and techniques for presenting the monologue, Morris said.  The theme will revolve around what students do to cope and what makes them happy, so that the monologues will reflect hope, Morris said.

BTI is also presenting a webinar series for anyone in the community titled EmpowerME. Since the coalition can’t do a lot of the things they’re used to doing, she said, focus group participants were asked what their needs were, Morris said.

“Everybody came back saying we need help just understanding isolation, understanding coping skills, how do we reduce stress, how do we engage,” she said. “We identified the things that people really wanted help with.”

They then partnered with the City of Portland Public Health Department and the Maine Youth Action Network, which is part of the Opportunity Alliance, to develop the series of educational webinars. These webinars are free, presented via Zoom or Google Meets.

Most webinars are from 2 to 3 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month. The February presentation will be on Feb. 24 because of school vacation week.  The series runs through September. Topics include vaping, trauma, art programs, grandparents as caregivers, restorative practices, conversation skills around sensitive topics, and the impact of social media.  

“The hardest part is that we offer them because people need them, but we don’t get huge attendance because people don’t want to be on another screen,” Morris said. She said that they try to keep webinars under an hour, make them interactive and easy to understand, and allow people to walk away with real tools to implement.”

The Feb. 24 webinar, “Not Just Blowing Smoke” will discuss vaping and youth use, vaping products and the chemical components, the adolescent brain and decision making, addiction, marketing tactics the vaping industry uses, and more.  Tips and resources for quitting, making healthy decisions and alternative coping mechanisms will also be offered.

Information on future webinars can be found on the BTI website (www.betheinfluencewrw.org) or Facebook page.  Participants can register by emailing Morris at [email protected]. <

Windham to update property valuations starting this month

Windham Town Assessor Elisa A. Trepanier says
that property valuation updates for the town will
begin this month with Vision Government Solutions
contracted to perform the work. FILE PHOTO 

The Windham Assessing Office will be conducting a property valuation update beginning this month. 

According to Windham Town Assessor Elisa A. Trepanier, the town has contracted with Vision Government Solutions to perform this work.

Windham’s last revaluation occurred in 2019.  Meanwhile, constantly changing economic conditions have resulted in the development of inequities, Trepanier said. 

“These inequities are remedied by reappraising all properties to reflect 2021 market levels.  Because property values fluctuate with market conditions, it is necessary to conduct revaluations to ensure an equitable distribution of the tax burden,” she said.  “Revaluations are performed to return all property values to market levels existing at the time they are conducted.  The value of your property will be based on an analysis of the Windham real estate market for the 12 months prior to April 1, 2021.”

A property valuation update is a process which collects updated property data to be used as a basis for tax purposes. Trepanier said that the Maine Constitution mandates that “all taxes upon real and personal estate, assessed by authority of this State, shall be apportioned and assessed equally according to the just value thereof.”  In order to apportion the tax burden equally, Trepanier said that the town’s Assessing Office must establish assessed valuations at just value. 

“Just value is synonymous with market value.  The property valuation update will equalize valuations so that no one taxpayer pays more or less than their fair share of the tax burden,” Trepanier said in a press release issued Tuesday.

You may see a data collector in your area doing drive by reviews of properties, Trepanier said. These data collectors work for Vision Government Solutions of Hudson, Massachusetts.  Every data collector’s vehicle will be marked with the name and logo of Vision Government Solutions.  Data collectors will be wearing a lanyard and photo identification badge and will also have a letter of authorization from the Town of Windham. 

Vision Government Solutions will review qualified local sales and create updated pricing schedules for land and buildings. The information collected will reflect property status on April 1, 2021 and will be the basis for the 2021/2022 property tax bills.

Trepanier said that every property owner will receive a notice of their proposed valuation based on the analysis performed and will be given the opportunity to discuss their values with appraisal staff during informal hearings at appointed times to be announced toward the end of the revaluation project.

Once the taxable values are established, the Windham Town Council will set the annual tax rate (mil rate). This is done by dividing the town's net appropriations (as voted) by the town's taxable value.

Tax Relief: The following exemptions and current use programs are available to those who qualify. Applications and more information can be obtained either through the Assessing Office or by contacting Maine Revenue Services, Property Tax Division at 287-2013 http://www.maine.gov/revenue/.

·        Veterans Exemption - A person must be a Maine resident, 62 years or older and have served in the U.S. Armed Forces during a Federally Recognized War Period or; be receiving 100% disability compensation for service-connected injury. $6,000

·        Homestead Exemption - A person must be a Maine resident and have owned and resided in the property they consider their homestead and legal residence for at least 12 months prior to date of application.  Forms must be filed with the Assessing Office by April 1.  Forms filed after April 1 of any year will apply to the subsequent year’s tax assessment.

·        Blind Exemption - A person determined to be legally blind. $4,000 Exemption.

·        Renewable Energy Investment Exemption – This program exempts renewable energy equipment such as solar panels, from property tax beginning April 1, 2020.  Taxpayers must apply for the credit by April 1 of the first year the exemption is requested.

·        Senior Tax Reimbursement - You may be eligible for a property tax refund if you meet the following requirements: 1.) are at least sixty-five (65) years old at the time of application; (2) have a home (owned or rented) in Windham that you have lived in for the whole year prior to application; (3)  have been a Windham resident for at least the last ten (10) years; (4)  have paid property taxes in Windham, or rent in Windham on your home for at least a year; (5) have an annual household income less than the amount set annually by the Town Council. Availability of this application begins in July of each year.

Current Use Programs: In the 1970's, the Constitutional Law added a current use clause which allowed special treatment for certain property use.

·        Tree Growth - A parcel of land with at least 10 contiguous forested acres which are harvested for commercial purposes.

·        Farmland - Property must have a minimum of 5 contiguous acres and be used for agricultural purposes with contributing income.

·        Open Space - No minimum acreage but parcel must be undeveloped and provide a public benefit.

Please contact the Windham Assessor’s Office at 207-894-5960 ext. 3 or visit http://www.windhammaine.us/156/Assessor for more information about the revaluation. <

 

American Legion celebrates ‘Americanism Month’

By David Tanguay

February is 'Americanism Month' for American
Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in Windham.
COURTESY PHOTO

Special to The Windham Eagle

“Americanism,” one of the American Legion’s four pillars, is the love of America, loyalty to its ideals and institutions, allegiance to the American flag, willingness to defend the country against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and a desire to advance the blessings of liberty to future Americanism generations.

February is the American Legion’s National Americanism Month. During this annual observance, the American Legion post asks that its members and all citizens reflect upon what it means to be an American and rededicate ourselves and our posts and to taking action that will uphold the principle of “100 percent Americanism.”

The Americanism Pillar is divided into: Youth Programs, Flag Programs, Support for Veterans, and Community Outreach. The American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 in Windham has an Americanism Officer, David Horne, who annually coordinates and supports a variety of programs and projects that reflect the Americanism principals with support from the community and the post membership.

Under youth programs, the post supports the annual Boys State and Girls State (ALA Sponsored) program. The plan for 2020 was to begin the integration of these two programs, but, due to the pandemic, was canceled for that June. The program tutors our high school juniors in the process of local and state government and has sufficient funds to support four boys this year with scholarships. The Unit Auxiliary supports the same precepts for Girls State. Selections for Boys and Girls State will be in April. The post annually selects a male and female graduating student from the class who exemplifies leadership in school and the community.  The recipients receive a leadership “School” medallion, pin and certificate and is awarded a modest scholarship for use in their education.

The American Flag, the symbol of our great country, is a key precept of the Americanism Program.  The Field-Allen Post 148 in Windham supports flag etiquette and training programs for various organizations and schools.  If there is interest in these training opportunities, give the post a call. For the Flags Around Town Program, the post undertook an Americanism program in 2005 in collaboration with the town to place 100 U.S. flags on the utility poles on the highways and byways of Windham. In May of this year, the post will be undertaking that same goal for the 15^th consecutive year. 

Other programs that directly or indirectly support include our support for veterans and national security, blood drives and food drives.  Nationally, the American Legion supports more Red Cross blood drives than any other organization in the country. Since last June, the Post has collected on average of 30 units each, covering six events at the Windham Veterans Center. Additionally, the post collects food items annually for the local food pantry over Memorial Day weekend and collects food items in support of the Portland Vet Center food pantry for homeless veterans on a weekly basis at the Windham Veterans Center from 9 to 11 a.m. on Wednesdays. The response since November from the community has been overwhelming and much appreciated.

The post also sponsors a very successful Vet Coffee program held each Wednesday at the Windham veterans Center from 9 to 11 a.m. This coffee gathering is multi-faceted in that it provides opportunity for local veterans to “drop-in” for a social experience with their peers. It also has a therapeutic element with many of our vets that gives them an opportunity to share experiences in a safe environment.

Americanism programs are a year-round opportunity for our members to serve their community. Often, they do not get the credit that they are due. If you see a Veteran, thank them for their service. If you see a Legion Member, thank them as well for all they do in your community.

If you want to be part of the team? Contact the Field-Allen Post Adjutant Dave Tanguay at 207-892-1306 or ask any post member. <