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PRINTED USING RECYCLED • CONTENT NEWSPRINT AND SOY COLORS. (USPS 433980) PERIODICALS POSTAGE MAKE A DIFFERENCE. PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. PAID AT DOVER-FOXCROFT, ME 04426 VOL. 178 NO. 29 JULY 20, 2016 DOVER-FOXCROFT, MAINE 12 PAGES PRICE 75 CENTS HONOR ROLLS PAGE 6 SPORTS PAGE 7 Area students’ Shrine Lobster Bowl academic achievements training camp at FA Flags of Honor Council approves Hike recognizes near $4.4M those who served budget By Stuart Hedstrom son’s American Legion Post 116 By Stuart Hedstrom Staff Writer and the Wilderness Walk for War- Staff Writer MONSON — For the third year riors First Volunteer Group. DEXTER — The town coun- in a row a group, this year com- The outdoor bandstand had the cil gave its approval, via a 4-0 prised of about 20 individuals, is country’s and American Legion’s vote with several councilors not hiking approximately 120 miles flags flying and was decorated with in attendance, to a net budget of over 10 days from in-town Monson other red, white and blue decora- $4,386,211 for the 2016-17 fis- to the summit of Mount Katahdin tions as the Flags of Honor Hike cal year during a July 14 meet- through the 100-Mile Wilderness opening ceremony began. Wilder- ing at the town hall. The figure along the Appalachian Trail. This ness Walk for Warriors co-founder Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom represents an increase of a little year’s themed “Flags of Honor Tim Robinson — himself a veter- FLAGS OF HONOR HIKE — On July 16 the Wilderness Walk for Warriors “Flags of more than $43,300 (1 percent) Hike” supports the Wilderness an of the U.S. Navy — began by Honor Hike” started in Monson as 20 participants began the near 120-mile journey from the previous year. Walk for Warriors, raising mon- thanking the crowd for attending north to Mount Katahdin to honor fallen members of the armed forces and first- The net 2017 budget is com- ey for Maine veterans and service and saying, “This is our third year.” responders as well as raise funds to assist veterans and their families. Speaking at a prised of just over $3,939,800 in members and honoring the nation’s Robinson’s brother and orga- municipal operating expenses, fallen heroes. nization founder Chris Robinson pre-departure ceremony outside the Monson Center for Community and Commerce about $264,250 or 6.3 percent During the late morning of July also thanked everyone for attending Wilderness Walk for Warriors was co-founder Tim Robinson, left, and his brother and more than the year the before; 16 members of the Wilderness the hike kickoff. He said the team founder Chris Robinson. approximately $282,700 in Walk for Warriors team departed would be walking the near 120 Dexter’s share of the Penobscot from Bangor by the Maine Army miles to the top of Mount Katahdin, Robinson said in the fall of 2013, the endeavor. from Bangor. County tax; and an estimated National Guard Base for a 60-mile “All in honor of our service mem- at the age of 47, he was hiking by He said he would be hiking for When the Flags of Honor Hike $1,990,670 for the town’s por- ride to the Monson Center for Com- bers and raising money for them.” himself when he thought, “‘I have several individuals this year. One concludes at the summit of Mount tion of the SAD 46 spending munity and Commerce, escorted by Each of the Flags of Honor Hike never served my country or done is Robinson’s University of Maine- Katahdin, an American flag will plan — a district budget still the Patriot Riders of America. The participants raises pledges, such as anything like that, what can I do?’” Fort Kent fraternity brother Craig be displayed that had previously needs to be approved. Maine State Police lead the proces- for each mile traveled or at a flat Robinson then had an idea of com- Feeney, who passed away from been flown above the U.S. Capi- The over $6.2 million total of sion with team members transport- amount. The team members will bining his love of hiking and the cancer and was a firefighter in Cran- tol. The folded flag was presented these combined costs centers — ed in a pair of Downeast Emergen- have a hiking staff and attached to outdoors with giving back to those ston, R.I. Chris and Tim Robinson from the which represents a 4.5 percent cy Management Institute humvees. the staff will be a specific Flag of who have served. After talking with Robinson said attached to his office of U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin increase from 2015-16 — is off- Shortly before 1 p.m. the roar Honor including those for POW/ his brother Wilderness Walk for backpack would be the Maine State (R-Maine). set by nearly $1,827,000 in rev- of motorcycles could be heard in MIA, KIA, Honor and Remember, Warriors was born. Police license plate 616 on behalf of Tim Robinson said he has been enues (up by 15.5 percent) for downtown Monson as the proces- American Legion, Air Force, Army, “It has nothing to do with us be- the late Trooper Glenn Strange of asked why he and others work to the $4,386,211 total to be raised sion arrived from Bangor. Those Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Na- cause we do it for them, and that’s Houlton. Robinson asked the audi- through property taxes. waiting for the team and their escort tional Guard and multiple American what we need to remember,” Rob- ence to look at the license plate visi- Please see Page 12, Council Chair Michael Blake enjoyed a barbeque served by Mon- flags. inson said about those assisted by ble in the trailer carrying his gear up WALK said getting to the final figure and the approximate $43,300 increase to the net budget, “I can tell you took a lot of elbow grease to get there. For what we Advisory referendum enables SAD 41 has potential had to work with, I think we did a good job.” In her report, Town Manager funding opportunities Shelley Watson said, “The bud- UT residents to weigh in on get process was long and painful this year, with many cuts and for school renovations projects placed on hold. Many Atkinson deorganization thanks to the council and de- By Stuart Hedstrom about $2.15 million worth of reno- partment heads for their sincere By Stuart Hedstrom Milo on consecutive evenings, with ten notification to the Legislature Staff Writer vations, including window and door efforts to keep taxes in check.” Staff Writer the first being held for UT residents and to her. MILO — Last month the SAD replacements and upgrades to the Councilor Marcia Delaware, GREENVILLE — With the from the Moosehead Lake region “Phase two is the phase we’re 41 board of directors opted to delay heating system. who was part of the 4-0 budget town of Atkinson in the midst of on July 12 at the Greenville Town in and it’s probably the phase that an approximate $10 million school “They approved us for the bulk vote along with Blake and coun- the deorganization process, which if Office with about two dozen in at- involves the most work,” McInn- construction project, with no time- of the renovations of the project,” cilors Ron Apel and Fred Sher- successful would change the com- tendance. is said. She said a deorganization table set to resume, based on the Wright said, saying districts award- burne, wondered beforehand munity from a municipality to an County Commissioners Chair procedure has been written and concept of a 25-year plan to address ed QZAB monies need to use the about how the still to be deter- unorganized territory (UT) falling Fred Trask said the ballots, which reviewed by a state commission. the facility needs in the district with funds within three years. He said mined SAD 46 figure should be under the jurisdiction of Piscataquis are due to be mailed back to the On July 19 Atkinson citizens were pre-kindergarten through grade 12 recipients need a business partner handled in the Dexter spending County, over 650 advisory refer- county by Aug. 1, will “make an in- scheduled to vote on the deorgani- all being housed at the Penquis Val- to provide an in-kind match, and the plan. endum absentee ballots have been dication to the state Legislature how zation procedure via a special town ley School campus. During a July district has already spoken with the A near $14 million school mailed by the county to registered the people in the UTs feel about At- meeting. 13 meeting of the school board, Su- non-profit Pulling for Kids Founda- budget was voted down last voters in the UTs across the region. kinson deorganization.” He added, “They will vote whether they ac- perintendent Michael Wright said tion of Kansas about this. month at the polls in Dexter, The ballot asks if these residents “People in the UTs usually don’t cept the procedure or they have the funds may be available to make Wright said the state is making Exeter, Garland and Ripley, and support the deorganization of the have a voice.” opportunity to amend it,” she said. some of improvements that have more monies available through its a revised spending plan is be- town of Atkinson — either yes or Maine UT Fiscal Administrator Should the plan be voted down been discussed as part of of the School Revolving Renovation Fund ing brought to a district budget no — and the referendum results Marcia McInnis explained the mu- — on July 19 or a short time later school construction project.