Maine Government Contacts for LD 791 Funding
Governor Mills Office:
https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/contact
Fill in the personal information and cut and paste the letter into the space provided.
Appropriations Committee:
Senator Margaret Rotundo of Androscoggin- Chair
D – Senate District 21
Email: Margaret.Rotundo@legislature.maine.gov
Senator Richard Bennett of Oxford
R – Senate District 18
Email: Richard.Bennett@Legislature.Maine.gov
Senator Jill Duson of Cumberland
D – Senate District 27
Email: Jill.Duson@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Melanie Sachs of Freeport- Chair
D – House District 102
Email: Melanie.Sachs@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Mark Blier of Buxton
R – House District 138
Email: Mark.Blier@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Nathan Carlow of Buxton
R – House District 137
Email: Nathan.Carlow@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Benjamin Collings of Portland
D – House District 114
Email: Benjamin.Collings@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Jack Ducharme of Madison
R – House District 71
Email: John.Ducharme@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Jessica Fay of Raymond
D – House District 86
Email: Jessica.Fay@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Drew Gattine of Westbrook
D – House District 126
Email: Andrew.Gattine@legislature.maine.gov
Representative Ann Matlack of St. George
D – House District 43
Email: Ann.Matlack@Legislature.Maine.gov
Representative Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth
D – House District 123
Email: Rebecca.Millett@legislature.maine.gov
Representative Sawin Millett of Waterford
R – House District 81
Email: Sawin.Millett@legislature.maine.gov
Mandy Connor – Committee Clerk
Office of Fiscal and Program Review
5 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: 287-1635, Email: mandy.connor@legislature.maine.gov
Justin Purvis – Committee Clerk
Office of Fiscal and Program Review
5 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: 287-1635, Email: AFA@legislature.maine.gov
Maureen Dawson – OFPR Analyst
Office of Fiscal and Program Review
5 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Phone: 287-1635, Email: Maureen.Dawson@legislature.maine.gov
Draft Letter to use if you would like to send to any of the above State Offices:
Dear _,
Thank you for the important and challenging work you are doing. As you begin the new year, I ask you to please fund LD 791 – An Act to Support the Maintenance of Historic Fort George in Castine. This bill will fund Historic Sites that are owned by the state but have been underfunded or not funded at all.
Fort George, in Castine, is an absolute jewel. Built by the British during the Revolutionary War in 1779, Fort George is the best-preserved example of a British built earthwork fortification in all North America. Castine was the site of The Penobscot Expedition, a critical battle during the Revolutionary War. The Fort has the potential to draw many tourists who travel to see Revolutionary War Sites, bringing revenue to Castine and other Maine communities.
At one time Castine received funds from the state for grounds maintenance. These funds were discontinued under a previous administration, and we have found it more and more difficult to care for this important structure using best historic preservation practices. In addition, there are currently safety hazards that must be remediated before we seek to promote tourism.
A few years ago, several entities in the town of Castine applied for and received a grant to plan for the preservation and interpretation of Fort George. We began the work with a study to assess our needs; now we need your assistance to make the Fort a key part of Maine’s Revolutionary War story and a huge tourism draw. We would be happy to send you a copy of this document.
LD 791 funding will allow us to
- make the Fort safe for visitors,
- invest in interpretive signage and
- create a plan to incorporate the Fort more fully into our historic tours and events.
This is the perfect time to invest in a Revolutionary War Fort with the upcoming Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary and the American Revolution. This is the perfect time to feature Fort George as a major tourism draw.
The people of Castine are proud of our history, the role our town played in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, as well as our strong history of shipbuilding. We work hard to promote our history and the history of Maine to residents and visitors. We, in Castine, and the 19 other towns with unfunded historic sites, are looking to you to fully fund LD 791. We cannot do the work on our own – please help us!
We invite you to visit Castine and to tour Fort George. We can show you the safety issues and our plans for interpretive signage. We would be honored to give you a tour and to thank you personally for your assistance.
Again, thank you for the difficult work you are doing and for your consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
