I urge you to vote no on June 10 on the demolition of the administration building at Mitchell Field.
I listened carefully to the discussion at the May 3 hearing. I visited the website of the citizens’ group urging a no vote (sites.google.com/view/mitchell-field-rec-center) to see its design plans for a recreation center. I did additional research.
A yes vote means the building will be demolished, eliminating the option of renovating and repurposing it for community use. A no vote means no remediation or demolition for now. That would give the group seeking to transform the building into a multipurpose community center time to raise funds for a self-sustaining nonprofit (no money needed from taxpayers) and present their plan to the public.
Parking and congestion seem to be concerns for pro-demolition folks. Pro-reuse folks mentioned possible solutions. One suggestion was to use the space to the north side of the causeway for more parking and for boat launch access. The rebuttal was that this area is not available because it is leased to an oyster hatchery.
Harpswell currently receives only $1,100 a month in rent under the lease with the hatchery. Perhaps the town could negotiate with the tenant to buy out the lease and free up that area.
Demolition is environmentally unsound, especially if repurposing is possible. Fifty-two percent of landfills in Maine consist of demolition debris, much of which is nonbiodegradable and contains hazardous materials.
A no vote is the environmentally responsible decision. A no vote allows time to develop an option for a functional and attractive building at no cost to the town.
Ellen Glew, Mountain Road
