One thought on “GHRT REWIND 03 19 Ramsdell (DECF Guard) 1345”
one thing people continue to come back is the jobs the inmates filled. There seems to be two common themes circulating. One idea is that businesses who employed the inmates should just be able to pull from the general labor pool to fill the now empty positions. That is not so easily done NOT because we are a drug addicted or lazy welfare populace but because the majority of the populace is already in a seasonal position some place else and most likely works a second job as well part time to meet their needs. They may be working full time someplace at a lesser paying job as well but who would give up full time hours for a seasonal position? There are other mitigating circumstances such as an aging population and transportation in such a spread out rural area. The fact that there are so many seasonal jobs in this particular area only helps make it perfect for a work release programs. There is always something for inmates to participate in for skill building in multiple areas (one inmate could conceivably learn more than one trade thanks to this, is exposed to diff jobs enabling them to find something they are passionate about for the future)
The second idea that seems to be circulating is that the employees who lost their jobs should just go find another one. Some are commuting four hours to work now without a choice. Should they have to relocate to continue in their career and benefits packages from the state then we as a county lose that of their spouse and their income, their influence and help in our communities, their children who are our future will most likely not return once a life is created outside the county, It becomes a triple negative this county simply can not afford economically or socially. The courts have found that the Governors actions were illegal. Why then should these employees have to find other jobs in the first place? The argument to that seems to be this idea that the DCF is not funded past June 31st of 2018. That is in fact a misnomer! The legislature has passed a bipartisan bill funding the DCF into 2019 but it did not receive enough votes (lacking a mere 7 or less and all of which are GOP legislative reps one running for Governor who purported to be our hometown boy fighting for the working class in Maine PFFFTTTTT) The general public of Maine needs to understand the legislature wants this facility to remain open and is fighting the Governor to make it so. The Governor is the ONLY person who does not want this facility open. He clearly has a personal vendetta against Washington County that no one here understands or knows the why of. He has squashed windmill projects slated for this county voted on by the citizens of this county who eagerly awaited them but left the windmill projects in the counties next to us alone. I listened to his rep address the Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee about the DCF. He brought with him a message of blackmail stating that unless we released the legacy DCF property for immediate sale and that we took out of statute that a facility must be located in Washington County we would NOT be awarded a new pre release center. That of course did not hold any water but the point is he tried it. Most of us in Downeast Maine would like to know why the Governor is so hot and bothered to sell off that piece of property and there is speculation with good reason that he is courting oil companies what with the recent political climate looking at opening Maines coast to drilling. Someday later someone will follow the money trail and if he succeeds in this incredible and egregious action against Washington County and its citizens but it will likely be too late for corrective measures or the ability to hold him accountable. I dont see this battle as just a battle for DCF. I see this as an attack on the poorest county by the people with the most power. Its been an attack on our character which the sting of is still being felt in every nasty comment or derogatory name called parroting back the Governor when he said we were a county who took more of Maines resources than we gave. Thankfully Downeastahs can take it and keep on going. We will keep on fighting this wrong but we should not in any way shape or form be forced to justify our way of life or our character to anyone else in Maine. We ARE THE FACE OF MAINE TOO! If this can happen here to us it can happen to any of you anywhere and perhaps when it does you will better understand our reluctance to simply move on!
one thing people continue to come back is the jobs the inmates filled. There seems to be two common themes circulating. One idea is that businesses who employed the inmates should just be able to pull from the general labor pool to fill the now empty positions. That is not so easily done NOT because we are a drug addicted or lazy welfare populace but because the majority of the populace is already in a seasonal position some place else and most likely works a second job as well part time to meet their needs. They may be working full time someplace at a lesser paying job as well but who would give up full time hours for a seasonal position? There are other mitigating circumstances such as an aging population and transportation in such a spread out rural area. The fact that there are so many seasonal jobs in this particular area only helps make it perfect for a work release programs. There is always something for inmates to participate in for skill building in multiple areas (one inmate could conceivably learn more than one trade thanks to this, is exposed to diff jobs enabling them to find something they are passionate about for the future)
The second idea that seems to be circulating is that the employees who lost their jobs should just go find another one. Some are commuting four hours to work now without a choice. Should they have to relocate to continue in their career and benefits packages from the state then we as a county lose that of their spouse and their income, their influence and help in our communities, their children who are our future will most likely not return once a life is created outside the county, It becomes a triple negative this county simply can not afford economically or socially. The courts have found that the Governors actions were illegal. Why then should these employees have to find other jobs in the first place? The argument to that seems to be this idea that the DCF is not funded past June 31st of 2018. That is in fact a misnomer! The legislature has passed a bipartisan bill funding the DCF into 2019 but it did not receive enough votes (lacking a mere 7 or less and all of which are GOP legislative reps one running for Governor who purported to be our hometown boy fighting for the working class in Maine PFFFTTTTT) The general public of Maine needs to understand the legislature wants this facility to remain open and is fighting the Governor to make it so. The Governor is the ONLY person who does not want this facility open. He clearly has a personal vendetta against Washington County that no one here understands or knows the why of. He has squashed windmill projects slated for this county voted on by the citizens of this county who eagerly awaited them but left the windmill projects in the counties next to us alone. I listened to his rep address the Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee about the DCF. He brought with him a message of blackmail stating that unless we released the legacy DCF property for immediate sale and that we took out of statute that a facility must be located in Washington County we would NOT be awarded a new pre release center. That of course did not hold any water but the point is he tried it. Most of us in Downeast Maine would like to know why the Governor is so hot and bothered to sell off that piece of property and there is speculation with good reason that he is courting oil companies what with the recent political climate looking at opening Maines coast to drilling. Someday later someone will follow the money trail and if he succeeds in this incredible and egregious action against Washington County and its citizens but it will likely be too late for corrective measures or the ability to hold him accountable. I dont see this battle as just a battle for DCF. I see this as an attack on the poorest county by the people with the most power. Its been an attack on our character which the sting of is still being felt in every nasty comment or derogatory name called parroting back the Governor when he said we were a county who took more of Maines resources than we gave. Thankfully Downeastahs can take it and keep on going. We will keep on fighting this wrong but we should not in any way shape or form be forced to justify our way of life or our character to anyone else in Maine. We ARE THE FACE OF MAINE TOO! If this can happen here to us it can happen to any of you anywhere and perhaps when it does you will better understand our reluctance to simply move on!