EDITORIAL: Now What Fryeburg?

Free Press MAINE - Friday, October 13, 2017 - Yesterday Fryeburg voters refused to allow their select board permission to sell off nearly 100 acres of town property to Nestle/Poland Spring. Is that an outright rejection of the company? Possibly. There will be much said and written in the coming weeks.

Just how much fresh, spring water does Fryeburg actually sit on? Estimates vary, but most agree that even in drought years there are billions of gallons. There is an abundance, with most of those billions of gallons flowing into the Atlantic ocean.

The real question is, since this water is a renewable resource, should it be 'harvested'? We say yes, but by whom?

There is a dire and continuing need for packaged, potable water in other parts of the world, and even within the United States when disaster strikes. Fryeburg should take the lead in encouraging a not-for-profit water company to be formed that will harvest the water and distribute it.

Jobs will be created and fees paid to the town to lower property taxes. Poland Spring may or may not lease the airport land, but it is doubtful they are going anywhere.

If a not-for-profit entity can be formed, Fryeburg citizens will feel better knowing that they will have more control over the life sustaining resource that they have been blessed with. Essentially Nestle/Poland Spring can do business as it wishes according to town and state regulations, and Fryeburg can do it own thing according to its own conscience and citizen wishes.

What Fryeburg residents need is to create their own win-win situation whereby all parties involved benefit from the abundance of water they control.

What say you? Lease the land to Nestle/Poland Spring? Encourage a not-for-profit corporation?

Fryeburg needs new ideas and citizen involvement to get it's collective act together. Call the town office and your state reps. Speak out. Comment on this at:

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