Published Way Down Join us on Twitter East @TheCalaisAdv Like us on Established in 1836 Facebook VOL. 179, NO. 13 MARCH 27, 2014 © 2014 The Calais Advertiser Inc. $1.50 (tax included) Brianna Jack Receives Prudential Spirit of Community Award By Gwen Clark books into the homes of kids county wide. By Christmas A special school assembly 2012 every child in her class was held at Woodland Elemen- was given books and 80 books tary School last Wednesday, were donated to the WHCA March 19th, to honor one of Christmas program. To date their own classmates. Brianna Brianna's donations of books Jack, a fifth grader at WES, have exceeded 1,723 books. was presented with the Pruden- Additionally, $500 was raised tial Spirit of Community Award through a Read a Thon in her medallion. The event was at- school which assisted in bring- tended by Brianna’s family, ing Lynn Plourde, a Maine friends, teachers, and students. Author to the school. Last Principal Jane Smith reviewed year she was able to bring the numerous accomplishments Bess the Bus, a mobile literacy and volunteer hours that Brian- bus that brings books to give na has given to the community children to the school. Cynthia as well as other communities in Lord, a noted Maine Author, Washington County. heard about Brianna’s work, Her accomplishments in- and donated books to the cluded holding a story time Maine Books for Maine Kids and placing over 100 books on organization and met with the the Woodland Library shelves. Woodland students during an Guest readers have also at- assembly at the school. tended and participated. She Brianna visits other schools also started a summer reading and libraries throughout the challenge that was held at the county. During the past two library. In the summer of 2013 years, children’s books have Brianna was granted $2000 been placed in hospitals, doc- from Target that was used to tors’ waiting rooms, and a Ten year old Brianna Jack, daughter of Paul and Billie Jo Jack of Baileyville, was invited to Augusta boost the story time program basket of books were given on Thursday March 20th to be honored on the State House Floor by Representative Joyce Maker of Calais. Brianna was honored for all of her community service and for winning the 2014 Prudential as well as developing a Bully to the first New Year’s Baby Spirit of Community Award. Brianna also got to spend the day being a page. Pictured with Brianna Awareness Contest in the com- at Calais Regional Hospital. are Senator David Burns from Whiting and Representative Joyce Maker from Calais. (Submitted munity. In October 2012 she During the past few Interna- photo). began her own non-profit or- tional Festivals in Calais, she ganization Maine Books for reads and gives away over sixty her with a book drive in order books to kids in Washington The kind of vision and commit- Maine Kids in order to get books. Her sister Eliza helped to allow her to donate more County. She attempts to donate ment you have demonstrated is as many Maine author books as extremely important to the fu- she can. ture of our neighborhoods, our St. Croix Technical Center’s State Brianna is dedicated to her cities, and our nation. Young Maine Books for Maine Kids volunteers like yourself are Championship SkillsUSA Team organization and maintains inspiring examples to all of us; high honors in school. She con- you are our brightest hopes for tinues to donate books for chil- a better tomorrow." dren to read in her efforts. She They informed her that she was selected as Maine’s Top has also qualified for the Presi- Middle Level Youth Volunteer dent’s Volunteer Service Award, for the 2014 Prudential Spirit of which recognizes Americans of Community Award. The judges all ages who have volunteered were so impressed with her out- significant amounts of their standing volunteer work that time to serve their communities she was chosen from among and country. all other Maine nominees in Brianna has received a this year’s programs to be President's Volunteer Service recognized as one of our State’s Award certificate and a letter Honorees for 2014. She was from President Barack Obama. recognized at the State House Woodland Elementary Princi- in Augusta this past week while pal Smith stated: visiting the Legislature. The "Brianna, I want to person- Prudential Award comes with a ally thank you for all of the trip to Washington DC in May volunteer work that you do and along with 101 other State Hon- for your consistency in being a orees to attend events of special high academic student. WES is recognition for their activities. proud of your accomplishments. Brianna will receive $1000 and I want to extend congratula- be a candidate for one of ten tions to your parents and sister national awards. as well. High achievements are Brianna received a letter usually a result of many posi- from the Chairman and CEO tive factors -initiative, ability, of Prudential Financial, John parental influence, and school Left to right: Front row: Amanda Ward, Shead High School, (SHS), Ashley Homsted, Calais High Strangfeld, and Executive environment. I know that you School, (CHS), Kiarra Newell, (CHS), Brooke Leeman, Woodland High School, (WHS), Willow Director of Secondary School will represent Maine well in Cobb, (WHS), Quinn Sluzenski, (CHS), Devonte Stevens, (WHS). Back row: Lance Morrison, Principals, JoAnn Bartolleti Washington DC." (SHS), Taylorae Carter, (CHS), Toby Tomah, (WHS), Daynah Brown, (WHS), Paige Gillespie, that reads as follows: This is a great honor not only (CHS), Sam Newell, (CHS), J.C. Meyers, (CHS). Absent from photo Miriah Howard (CHS). St. "We want to take this op- for Brianna but for her school Croix Team members medaled in the following competitions: Dayna Brown (WHS), Employment portunity to thank you for your and her community. Congratu- Application Process, Willow Cobb (WHS) and Devonte Stevens (WHS), Carpentry Knowledge compassionate dedication to lations! Test and Quinn Sluzenski (CHS) won an unprecedented third Gold medal in Prepared Speech improving the lives of others. and will attend the National Championship in Kansas City in June for the third time. (Submitted photo). PAGE 2 Fire Chief Presents Budget Workshops Memorial Day Parade On March 20, Fire Chief by $645 due to personnel A. Yes, it could, but what is Posick presented a budget changes good about Caribou Fire is that Among Many Projects workshop to the Calais city Overtime wages - increased they do everything electroni- council and members of the $10,000 to reflect the actual, on cally. for Commander McLean community. the ground need The Chief strongly discour- Before he began, city man- Part time wages - increase aged it. He said that they have ager Diane Barnes made a by $3,000 to reflect the actual looked and compared, and statement; need there was nothing comparable “In the budget you are look- Benefits FICA/UC/WC - to who they currently use. ing at tonight, I have some increase by $2609 It was again stressed that this things in there that I haven’t Benefits Lifetime Retire- was just a rough first draft and put into the budget for the last ment - increase by $2,812 that numbers can change. 3 years. The reason for doing Vehicle maintenance was The meeting then shifted to that is that we do not have any reduced due to in house re- the Fire Budget. funds in our capital improve- pairs. Fire budget has gone up ments plan this year. With the Radio/repair reduced be- $6,064 but Chief Posick want- fund balance that we have and cause of a grant from Maine ed to call out some of the addi- the deficit balance that the Health Access Foundation. tions that have been added due school has, it affects our ability This resulted in a $500 sav- to the CIP not having funds this to have some funds set aside ings. Additionally, the “narrow year. Without that addition, the for capital improvements like banding” has been finished. fire budget had actually gone I have for the last 3 years. So Office supply- staying the down. Some of the accounts what I have included in these same stayed the same. Highlights of budgets is what we absolutely Supplies and Oxygen - in- the changes are shown below: have to have to move forward. crease $600 in direct response Regular wages - Reduced Hopefully next year we will to call volume. by $2,669 due to personnel have a better year in terms of Advertising- decrease by changes fund balance.” $750 due to staff being hired Overtime wages - decrease Chief Posick started out by and not foreseeing the need for by $3,500 saying that by going through the advertising at this time. Firefighter wages- increase the ambulance budget from Training - decrease for this by $3,000 a holistic sense he was able year by $2,000 Benefits/Life Retirement to reduce it by about $15,600 Legal and Audit Fees - de- - increase by $6,227. This in- through trending it out vari- crease by $1,400 crease is mandatory, according ous ways and seeing what we Telephone - decrease by to the Chief. were actually spending on the $562 due to changes in equip- Benefits/Health/Dental - ground.” ment and services. Decrease $14,300 When the Calais Advertiser Contract Services-Billing - SCBA Maintenance - in- asked him to explain, he stated decrease $5,000 due to review creased by $4,000. Self con- that “trending it out” referred in trending numbers tained breathing apparatus are Commander Michael McLean showing his recognition from Gov- to looking at a number of years Ambulance Principal - In- the air packs that go on the ernor Paul LePage and from the Senate and House of Representa- and what the numbers were crease by $445.