what mainers need to watch out for

[luckyleftyme2]

I copied this from the florida thread as I would put nothing past the administration and mind set of those holding the purse strings of maine now.
so read and heed because they have already started talking privatation!
"
In their longstanding fight to privatize the state's prison system—and a lot of other public services—Republican lawmakers in Florida are trying a new angle: doing it in secret.

Proposed Committee Bill 7170, introduced Tuesday in the GOP-dominated state legislature, aims to prevent "information relating to the outsourcing or privatization of an agency function" from being reported to the voting public "until after the contract for such functions is executed." In other words, taxpayers wouldn't get to know about government work turned over to a contractor until after the contract has been signed. The bill is expected to come to a floor vote later in the recently convened spring session; with Republicans holding supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature and Rick Scott sitting in the governor's office, it could become law by this summer.

The proposal is "very disturbing," Democratic Sen. Gwen Margolis told the committee that passed the bill on Wednesday. "The language is pretty broad," she said. Another local activist speaking at the hearing called the measure an attack on "the transparency, accountability and due diligence of this body and citizens of this state."

Florida has long been known for having some of the country's most stringent sunshine laws. Currently they require that any government agency planning to contract out work must release a host of supporting information to the public, including cost-benefit analyses, business plans, and an assessment of the impact such a move would have on services. The new bill gets rid of those requirements for any privatization and outsourcing plans that come from the legislature. "
can you imagine calling this how to get more transparentcy in government! we all know the deals that have been made in the past to favor certain companies who used
wood cutting practices that raised havoc with our wild life;and how many deer yards and streams were decimated. And we know who had the blaine house when we turned washington,penobscot,piscatiqus and aroostock county forrests into puckerbrush land!

[luckyleftyme2]

1. if you think this is in the past!

If you think this is in the past your sadly mistaken;this group that is trying to stop more land being turned into protected public land included many of the enities (or same companies )that has over harvested that area for years! why because this land will still be cut when the forest is mature,just like baxter park is! you see to think that
logging doesn't go on in parks is to show how they work to hide this from the public.
the problem for them is they can't feed their greed anytime they want to,they have to bid for the contract and they have to practice good harvesting practices!
thats the real reason they are so dead set against it! and believe me they keep their competition to a minimum!

[luckyleftyme2]

2. these nay sayers are blowing smoke

for those of you who didn't know here is a little information to back up my post and expose those greedy butts that would continure to over harvest maine's woodlands:
While Baxter State Park bears the name "State" it is separately administered, free from any connection with the larger State Park system (Bureau of Parks and Lands/Dept. of Conservation). The Baxter State Park Authority, a three person authority consisting of the Attorney General, the Director of the Maine Forest Service and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, has full power in the control and management of the Park and in the exercise of all Trust obligations.

About 40% of the costs of Park operations are financed from a combination of entrance fees, camping, and wood products revenues with the remaining 60% provided by revenues from trusts established by Percival Baxter in 1945 and again through his will after his death in 1969 to provide funds for the care and maintenance of Baxter State Park. Park operations are also assisted by donations from independent trusts and organizations such as the Baxter Park Wilderness Trust and the Friends of Baxter State Park. The Baxter State Park Authority also accepts numerous donations from individuals every year

The Authority operates the Park through a Park Director and administrative staff consisting of a Chief Ranger, Park Naturalist, Business Manager and Resource Manager. The Park currently employs 22 year round, and 39 seasonal employees to protect, maintain and operate the Park. Park operations are also supported by Maine Conservation Corp, Student Conservation Association and other contracted personnel to prepare firewood bundles, perform road maintenance and forest harvesting and management operations and other maintenance work.

The Park is assisted in the development of policy and operational procedures by a number of committees including the Baxter State Park Advisory Committee, the Scientific Forest Management Area Advisory Committee, the Baxter Park Research Committee, and the Baxter Park Investment Committee. These groups of dedicated volunteers are composed of individuals with either or both a wide range of Park experience or specific technical expertise who are interested in assisting the Park. The committees operate at the pleasure of the Authority and provide helpful advice on emerging Park policy or operational concerns.

Percival Baxter submitted legislation in 1939 that established the Baxter State Park Authority as the sole governing body of the Park consisting of the Director of the Maine Forest Service, the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Attorney General:
Seated left to right: The Baxter State Park Authority
- Bill Schneider, Chandler Woodcock, Doug Denico.
Standing: Park Director Jensen BissellSome background regarding the Baxter State Park Authority:
Bill Schneider – Maine Attorney GeneralBill Schneider was born and raised in Elma, New York son of Clayton and Phyllis Schneider. He graduated from the United State Military Academy at West Point and went on to serve with distinction in the U.S. Army, earning his Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab and Senior Airborne Wings, and being awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. He earned his law degree from the University of Maine Law School in 1993.
Attorney General Schneider was an Assistant Attorney General from 1993 to 1998, prosecuting cases against drug traffickers across the state. In 1998 he was elected to the House of Representatives, representing Durham and parts of Brunswick and Lisbon. He served on the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary and several special committees during his first term, and was elected Assistant Republican Leader during his second term.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Bill was recruited to serve as the federal Anti-Terrorism Coordinator in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney from 2002 to 2010 conducting investigations and working with local, state, federal and international partners to fight the threat of terrorism. In addition, he handled a wide variety of civil and criminal cases, including defending the United States against immigration appeals by illegal aliens and prosecuting criminals.
Chandler Woodcock – Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and WildlifeChandler Woodcock was former Executive Director of the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association. Prior to Woodcock’s involvement with MHHA he was an English teacher for 27 years. Woodcock has experience in civic and community participation that he will bring to his new post. He served three terms in the Maine Senate and two terms on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and campaigned for Governor in 2006. Woodcock is also a former registered Maine guide and member of "Brook Trout Maine."
Doug Denico – Director of the Maine Forest Service and Authority ChairA native of Vassalboro, Doug Denico earned his Bachelor of Science in forestry and Master of Science in forest economics at the University of Maine School of Forestry. He is immediate past president of the Maine Forest Products Council and currently serves as chair of the Maine Landowners and Sportsmen Relations Advisory Board. He is a licensed professional forester. His career includes forest management positions with International Paper, Scott Paper, S.D. Warren, Plum Creek and Sappi. He also owns and manages 1,300 acres of working forests in central Maine from Vassalboro to Township 7, Range 11, Piscataquis County.


This 15 member volunteer committee is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Baxter State Park Authority. The committee is formed by individuals with experience in Baxter State Park and often other wilderness settings around the nation or the world. The committee assists the Park by working closely with the Park Director and other Park administrators to provide an active forum for discussion, review, comment and critique in the formation and revision of policies, procedures and operational systems.
Baxter State Park Advisors with the Park Director - 2009
Baxter State Park Advisory Committee members are appointed to 2 year terms and service is limited to 3 consecutive terms. The operation of the committee is guided by a Statement of Purpose document. The committee typically meets monthly from November to April and visits the Park as a group one or two times per summer for group projects or hikes to visit areas of resource concerns or emerging policy development.
The Baxter State Park Authority makes appointments and other changes to the committee at the May Authority meeting. Individuals interested in serving on the committee should fill out and submit to the Park Director a short information sheet providing contact information and describing their experience in the Park.
Baxter State Park Advisory Committee -

[luckyleftyme2]

3. like I said it still goes on

Jensen Bissell, director of Baxter State Park, surveys the stacks of logs from a recent timber harvesting operation in the park's Scientific Forest Management Area in 2009. Comprising roughly 29,000 acres in the park's northwest corner, the SFMA is the only location in Baxter where logging occurs. Former Gov. Percival Baxter set up the SFMA as a place where cutting-edge forestry and research could be carried out. Buy Photo
By Kevin Miller, BDN Staff
Posted April 20, 2011, at 6:45 p.m.
Last modified April 21, 2011, at 9:56 a.m.
John Clarke Russ | BDN
A crane adds freshly-cut timber to Wayne Daggett's payload at a harvesting area in Dover-Foxcroft on Feb. 10, 2011. Daggett runs Charles Daggett Inc. based in Topsfield and hauls wood for private contractors. By far, trucking dwarfs other forms of transport in Maine despite the recession and despite federal regulations imposed on the trucking industry. Buy Photo
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» Big tax payment limits state red ink in March
AUGUSTA, Maine — Capitalizing on favorable weather and solid demand for wood, the Maine Department of Conservation harvested more than 70,000 cords from state-owned wood lots last winter, a near record that generated more than $2 million for the state.

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands manages more than 600,000 acres within 30 “public reserved land” units scattered around the state. Revenue from timber harvesting on the parcels, in turn, is used to support recreational facilities, including boat launch ramps and campsites, as well as wildlife management and invasive species control.

Between November and March, private contractors working
you can research the whole article by google

[luckyleftyme2]

4. you need to read this and think about elections

As we all know if elected you have to (well its paracticed) give your supporters a few crumbs of what yo or your representatives said during campaign mode.
you might look at who is on the board overlooking these harvesting operations in the park! you might realize that gov. Baxter was shrewed politican and done his best to protect the park after he was gone. for this truly is a gift to protect forever!
you who care should be ever vigilant in protecting this gift of maine! for the greedy have no sight beyond the dollar in value!
please read this article:
Lawsuit Seeks End To Wood Harvesting In Baxter Park .news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1899&dat...id...sjid...You +1'd this publicly. Undo
Maine - Superior Court Judge Morton Brody is ex pected to rule early next week on whether to order an immediate halt to wood harvesting in Baxter State Park. ...

[luckyleftyme2]

5. if you think your entitled because

don't make the mistake of thinking because you are a politician ,a committee member or a donor to a political cause you are the only one qualified to an opinion.
so many of these well meaning individuals are in the dark for many aspects of the job they seek or support. believe me those un-elected money grubbers who hold the strings know exactly how to harvest the "goose that lays the golden egg"
I suggest you look at the new committee members on the board of baxter state park.
hmmm this committee needs to think preservation as well as maintaining a mature and healthy forest. and the harvesting methods should be strictly enforced!