Although I am a member of the Mitchell Field Committee, I am writing strictly as a private citizen in regard to renaming Mitchell Field.
Mitchell Field was named to honor George Mitchell, a distinguished citizen of Maine and the United States. His decades of public service to both have been admirable and productive, and he has been instrumental in accomplishing many things beneficial to both. The Good Friday Agreement and the Mitchell Institute come immediately to mind.
Now his name is besmirched by mention in newly released files from the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. Given this country’s hallowed principle of innocent until proven guilty, George Mitchell is now publicly shamed simply because he knew Jeffrey Epstein, as did thousands of others. His only proven “guilt” is by association.
In my opinion, it would be a knee-jerk decision to strip his name from prominent enterprises and memorials until and unless any real guilt of criminality is proven. He has already done the honorable thing by withdrawing his name from leadership positions with some of the organizations in which he has been active, presumably to avoid embarrassing those organizations. That alone demonstrates his sense of propriety.
I encourage the Select Board and town voters to leave Mitchell Field named as it is.
Warner W. Price, Harpswell Neck
