This is in response to a letter published in your Working Waterfront titled “Right spokesperson?” by Steve Parker. I live on Chebeague Island, my husband is a lobsterman, and I run a small plumbing business. David Hill is my brother-in-law. David and I don’t always agree on issues but I would trust him to represent me anytime and do it fairly. David spends countless hours in all manner of items regarding Chebeague and we are so very grateful. I know that he and my sister want to live on Chebeague year-round but my sister’s job as a night nurse in Brunswick makes it too difficult. David is a middle-class person, working very hard to survive but also volunteering numerous hours in all kinds of ways. Many people I have talked to are delighted to have someone get up and help them with the cause of property taxes. David is presently on his 3rd year as president of the Chebeague Recreation Center. He is a past president of the Historical Society and is going back on as the vice president this year. He, along with the rest of the community, was very helpful in getting our Historical Society Museum going. For more than a decade when there is a play, talent show, or concert, David volunteers to videotape the show and make copies for loan at the Chebeague Island Library. David has also spent days and nights working on the computers at the Library making sure the software and setup are up to date and working properly. He spends at least two nights a week in the middle of the winter on Chebeague working for volunteer groups and organizations. For the past four years, he has been the main editor of the yearly Newsletter and has brought the document to publication and then helped circulate it for the Historical Society. David is always there to help anyone who needs help from the community and he definitely can relate to people (islanders and summer people) who are trying to hold onto their properties in the face of the escalating island property valuations and taxation. David’s family roots go back as far as anyone on the island to 1756. He is very proud of his Chebeague heritage and works very hard for the betterment of the year round community.
Beverly Johnson
Chebeague