Articles
Chebeague Island wins independence
Chebeague Island did it. On April 5 the Maine Legislature approved L.D. 1735, the bill allowing the island community to secede from Cumberland and become its own town. The vote was 136 to 1 in favor in the House of Representatives and 31 to 3 in the Senate. Gov. John Baldacci signed the secession bill
Chebeague secession moves ahead
Chebeague Island is one step closer to independence. On March 8, the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government voted unanimously that the bill granting Chebeague Island independence should be approved by the full Legislature. All 12 members present voted that the bill should pass and the one absent member, Sen. Margaret Rotundo (D-Androscoggin),
“It’s a good example” Private transaction preserves Chebeague’s only boatyard
Preserving working waterfront is one of the biggest challenges coastal communities face. Recent success stories usually involve community members working with a wide variety of groups, from nonprofit organizations to land trusts, to keep wharves and boatyards from becoming luxury summer homes. So the recent transfer of the Chebeague Island Boatyard is unusual. It was
Chebeague and Cumberland agree on boundaries, taxation
A major step for Chebeague Island self-governance was achieved in January when the Cumberland Town Council unanimously approved an agreement that would give Chebeague all of the town’s outer islands. The tentative agreement would make 16 of Cumberland’s islands part of a Town of Chebeague in exchange for Chebeague annually paying Cumberland 50 percent of
“The Downside of Principle” Why did James Swan sit in jail for 22 years?
James Swan was a writer, Revolutionary War soldier, land speculator and wealthy businessman who created fortunes in America and France. After the Revolution, Swan purchased 25 islands in Penobscot Bay, including the island now named for him, and founded the first recorded settlement on Swan’s Island. He also spent the last 22 years of his
For Sale: A way of Life
Everybody wants a piece of the Maine coast. That demand, coupled with a frenzied national real estate market, has led to skyrocketing property values. Coping with this tremendous increase is a challenge for islanders and coastal residents working to sustain year-round communities. And the issue is more complicated than it may seem. Rising property values
A third Casco Bay island considers independence
Cliff Island resident Leo Carter said he first thought about secession when he saw on television that his island was not considering the idea. A supporter of secession on Peaks Island was being interviewed by a local television station. He said Peaks had approached Cliff about the two islands — both now part of the
High taxes, frustration over services drive Peaks secession movement
The Peaks Island secession movement is gaining momentum, with organizers collecting over 400 signatures by Aug. 12 on a petition to start the process. The Island Independence Committee (IIC) on Peaks wants to get 600 signatures before submitting the petition to Portland City Clerk’s office in September. The committee needs over 50 percent of Peaks
Drawing Boundaries: As it negotiates independence, Chebeague must decide which smaller islands to include in a new town
How does an island with no year-round residents or registered voters determine its political future? This question could come up as residents of Chebeague Island continue to explore seceding from the town of Cumberland. On June 26, about 125 people attended a meeting at the Chebeague Island Hall as a petition to ask for a
“The island’s survival is at stake”; Chebeague ponders seceding from Cumberland
Within a week, Chebeague residents organized a Casco Bay-wide effort, and successfully convinced the council to cancel the vote. But the fact that Cumberland officials would vote to put an LNG terminal on a town wide ballot left many islanders in shock. “I thought, wow, do we always have to be on guard?” said Johnson,