The Selectmen extend greetings to the community and wish everyone a rapid recovery from winter. Joe Hayden was elected to be a Selectman in March and we welcome him to the board. Spring and summer plans are developing as we move further into the new year. Roads and Bridges – Planned road work includes:

* Dill and Waugh Roads; ditching, improving drainage and gravel. * River Road; rebuilding and repaving part of paved section. * Emery Road; complete project started last year.

Citizens voted at town meeting to fund these projects. Funding will come from a combination of sources: money raised from taxes, the Local Road Assistance Program and a $150,000 loan from the Maine Municipal Bond Bank. The Maine Department of Transportation is advising the Town on the condition of our Josiah Brook (west) bridge on Branns Mills Road. Community Center - Anticipated work on the community center includes: energy efficiency projects and exterior painting. The gym floor has been replaced as planned. Fire Department - The Fire Department is conducting a drive for new members. If you are interested, please contact the Fire Chief Julie Costigan at 696-4675 or the Selectmen. Cell Phone Tower – A proposed cell phone tower to be located on Abijah Hill Road has been  permitted  by  the  Town’s  Planning  and  Appeals  Boards,  however  that  decision  has  been appealed by Harry and Cindy Brown, The matter is now in Superior Court. Fiscal Matters – The  Town’s  tax  rate  dropped  from  21.5  mils  in  2012  to  19.75  in  2013.    At Town meeting, citizens raised about the same amount of money as they did last year. Selectmen’s  Meetings – The Selectmen meet on the first, third and fifth Mondays each month. These are open to the public and citizens are welcome. Your Selectmen, Paul Frederic, Joe Hayden and Sterling Doiron (696-8339) (696-4411) (612-9053)

the voice of starks QUICK REFERENCE

Town Office Hours Mondays 10 AM - 2 PM

Wednesdays 3 PM - 7 PM 1st Saturday 8 AM-11 AM Town Office Phone: 696-8069 Town Office FAX: 696-8201

Board of Selectmen: Meetings - 1st, 3rd and 5th Mondays at 7 PM Sterling Dorion Paul Frederic, Chair Joseph Hayden

Board of Assessors: Meetings - Thurs at 7 PM Joseph Hayden Kerry Hebert, Chair Cathleen Horner

Town Treasurer: Erin Norton - Office Hours Wednesdays 5 PM -7 PM

Town Clerk: Jennifer Zweig Hebert

Tax Collector: Jennifer Zweig Hebert

Code Enforcement: Leo Mayo - Office Hours: 1st. And 3rd. Wednesday 3 PM - 6 PM

Animal Control: Terry Leonard - 240-1799

Fire Station: 696-1082 EMERGENCY Dial 911 Fire Chief: Julie Costigan

E911 Addressing Officer Sam Davis - 696-8476

Burn Permits: Julie Costigan 696-4675 Chip Irvine 592-5311 Sam Davis 696-8476

Town Garage: 696-3703 Foreman: Dennis Cotton

Health Officer VACANT

Building Superintendent Bill Pressey

Town Sexton Bill Pressey

RSU #9 Board of Directors Jennifer Zweig Hebert

Newsletter Written/Edited by: Jennifer Zweig Hebert

SPRING 2014

New Selectman JOE HAYDEN! As the newest member of the Board of Selectmen I want to thank citizens for their support in the last election. I was born and raised in Starks and my wife of 32 years, Polly, and I raised our three grown children in Starks. I am proud to say that each of them still live in Starks and are raising their families here. My daughter Erin Norton has served as the elected Town Treasurer for the past 6 years and is very active in many areas of our community. I bring many years of service in town government to the Board. Previously, I served on the

Board of Selectmen from 1985-1994 and I have been a member of the Board of Assessors since 2004. I know that the position requires daily attention and availability. I hope that my experience and enthusiasm will benefit the town as we move forward improving the municipal processes and increasing the quality of life here in Starks. Citizens are always welcome at Selectmen meetings and folks should feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

James F. Murphy Memorial Dedication By Gwen Hilton

Jim Murphy, age 67, passed away in an automobile accident in Fairfield, Maine on Wednesday, November 27, 2013.

In 1990 Jim purchased an old dairy farm in Starks, and pursued his love of the outdoors, agriculture, and community.

Jim expressed his love for Starks and its citizens though his civic engagement. As examples - he served on the Comprehensive Plan Committee, was Secretary of the Appeals Board and the Historic Society, was co-editor and a writer for The Voice of Starks, and was instrumental in the formation of the Starks Agricultural Commission. He also founded the Starks Community Garden and Starks Farm Hands, an organization which connects farmers and workers. Jim was voted Starks Citizen of the year in 2012.

In recognition of Jim’s extensive involvement with Starks, we will be dedicating a memorial bench in memory of his life on Saturday, June 7th at the Starks Community Center. The granite bench will be placed overlooking the community garden and apple orchard that Jim so tenderly nurtured. We will also be a planting the vegetable garden and there will be a community pot-luck lunch around noon. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Starks Newest Business

Steve and Jeannie Rackliff have embarked on a new endeavor! Steve  decided  he  wanted  to  “try  something  different”  so  he  and  Jeannie to became licensed to buy and sell used cars. While still running the car repair garage they now sell used cars. Their specialty is affordable used cars that are $2,500 or less. Since becoming licensed Steve has been traveling to auto auctions and is adding new inventory to his lot on a weekly basis. If you are looking for an affordable used vehicle  stop  by  Steve’s  and  see  what he has to offer!

Hours are: Monday - Friday

9 AM– 4 PM Phone: 696-0805

THE VOICE OF STARKS PAGE 2

The Starks Enrichment and

Education Society (SEEdS) still has a

wide variety of quality Fedco seeds

available for sale. Conventional seeds

sell for $1.50 and organic seeds are

$2.00. There are several varieties of

pre;vious   years’   viable   seed   available  for $1.00 each. Proceeds support our

mission :: to enrich the education of our children through scholarships, special events, and other unifying activities..      And  the  best  part  is….the  seed packets feature original

drawings by local children, each one

truly is a work of art! To purchase

seeds or receive an order form; stop

by the Town Office or STARKS

GENERAL STORE.

"In the great scheme of things, you work with the wood grain, sign with your own name, and step out of rhythm enough to show others what's possible." - Jim Murphy

jim murphy memorial dedication

saturday, june 7, 2014

11:00 am

starks community center

Jim performing at 2013 Starks SummerKids

Don’t Miss This Day of Interest and Intrigue….. By Cheryl Willis Patten

Do you know the names and locations of the cemeteries in Starks? “Grave  Matters  in  Starks:    Cemeteries”  will be one of the presentations on Saturday, May 17, 2014 when the Maine Old Cemetery Association (MOCA) holds a program/meeting day at the Community Center. Everyone is welcome, so attend and learn about Starks' cemeteries and many other topics-including ground penetrating radar. MOCA's host for this day will be the Starks Historical Society and the keynote speaker will be Michael V. Scully, C.G., Vice-President  of  Northeast  Geophysical  Services.    His  presentation  will  be  “Mapping  of  Historic  Cemeteries  Using  Ground  Penetrating  Radar”.  Scully  will  also  visit  a  cemetery  to  demonstrate  (weather  dependent)  GPR  equipment  in  use.    See  the  section  “Recent  Posts”  on  the  Town  of  Starks  web  site  <http://www.starksme.com/> for the day's schedule. The registration fee is $3.00, and if you wish to reserve a SEEdS provided lunch, that must be done prior to May 2nd. The $7.00 cost for lunch may be paid at the door. MOCA 's mission statement is to encourage and support the preservation, maintenance, and study of old cemeteries and related records. The group was organized in 1968 by Dr. Hilda Fife, who was concerned about a small cemetery near her home. MOCA grew rapidly to over 1,000 members at one time. Currently MOCA has members from all over Maine and from other states. Every year three program/meeting days are held in various parts of the state. This is the first one to be held in Starks. A quarterly newsletter is sent to members. MOCA exists solely due to the efforts of volunteers. Over the years one of the on-going projects has been working to locate all ME cemeteries and to transcribe the information that is carved on the stones. By the end of March 2014 MOCA had records for 1,077,504 burials in 6,674 cemeteries. Interested in cemeteries? Check out MOCA on their web page (currently being redesigned) or on their Facebook page. People are interested in cemeteries for many reasons. Cemeteries are a rich source for

cultural and historical information. Additionally, they provide information for the study of art work, carvers, and/or epitaphs, as well as genealogical data. Cemeteries offer green space, that can be especially valued in urban areas. This year MOCA has asked for the week of May 18 through May 24th to be known as Maine Old Cemetery Week. What can you do to help in a cemetery? There are tasks for all. Participate. Make your first cemetery-related activity attendance at this MOCA meeting.

MOCA Spring Program Saturday, May 17, 2014

8:30 am - 2:00 pm Cost $10 (Includes Snacks and Lunch)

Hosted by Starks Historical Society Starks Community Center

Friends of our Fathers

Town Sexton Bill Pressey has formed a new group whose mission is to identify damaged Starks graves in need of refurbishment and repair. In particular he hopes to focus on the gravestones of our war veterans. The group’s first project is to replace the plague on the Starks War Memorial. It has several misspelled names of veterans. As the weather improves the hope is to assess needs, and repair gravestones around town. Friends of Our Fathers is looking for volunteers to help as well as donations to defray costs. Watch for an upcoming email that will have the details of their first meeting sometime in mid-May. Friends of Our Fathers is a sub-group of the local non-profit. SEEdS and any donations are tax-deductible. Contributions can be made to SEEdS (annotated with an FF) and sent to 57 Anson Road, Starks, ME 04911.

Specials: Large Steak Bomb $6.00 2 - one  topping  16”  Pizzas  $25.00

Coupon $1.50 Off

Any Large Pizza

Dog Sled Races

On Sunday March 2nd SEEdS braved the below zero temperatures to attend the 10th annual Farmington Dog Sled Races at Bussie and Brenda York’s farm. The event was organized by Mark and Joy Turner of Jay. The day consisted of several race categories that included different

age groups, (some as young as 5). Local musher Lindey Howe was engaging and spent some time with the SEEdS group answering lots of questions and explaining the ins and outs of the dog sledding world. The kids were able to play with the dogs, and feed them a unique mixture of raw ground beef and warm water for protein and hydration on race days. We even had the pleasure of meeting Joe Albee of Vassalboro, a disabled skier and former member of the Maine Adaptive Sports downhill ski team. Joe was using a mono ski to join the dog sledding competitions. He was patient with the kids and readily answered questions about his adaptive equipment. At the end of the day SEEdS kids had the rare opportunity to drive or ride in a pack basket pulled by a single dog on the race track to the finish line. This was an educational enriching experience for all who attended. SEEdS is a nonprofit group that

seeks to enrich local kids and adults with events and other unifying activities. We would love for you to participate! If you’re interested in joining, we meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm at the Starks Community Center. Your involvement can be as limited, or as much as you like! ~Erin Norton, SEEdS Chair

Community Garden Meeting 6:30 PM

May 7, 2014 Starks Community Center

Whether you are a long-time gardener or

a gardener newbie, if you have a passion for gardening or a

growing interest in gardening, please plan to attend this meeting.

Everyone is welcome!

Hey!  It’s  almost  summertime  and  that  means  Starks SummerKids! Starks SummerKids is scheduled for the five Wednesdays in July at the Starks Community Center. Mark your calendars for July 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th.

This  summer’s Starks SummerKids program will include cooperative games & activities, arts & crafts, puppet theater, physical activities & movement, books & stories, music & instrument making, gardening, bike rodeo & bike safety, water fun, healthy snacks, and much more!  It’s  a  wonderful time to get together to have fun, to learn, and to share. We appreciate the many volunteers (parents and others) who share their time and expertise in planning, organizing, and implementing the Starks SummerKids program. We wish to recognize and thank the Youth Team Leaders who assisted adult volunteers and/or helped younger children with activities. These youth are a valuable addition to Starks SummerKids and will be back again this summer! We encourage and  need  parent/family  involvement.  Your  involvement  is  necessary  to  the  success  and  continuation  of  our  children’s  programs. Please plan to

attend with your children, help with snacks and activities, and/or share your special skills. It is the purpose of Starks SummerKids to help children and families foster lifelong literacy enjoyment, physical fitness, healthy eating, and involvement in creative, fun activities. The Starks Library Committee, Starks Enrichment and Education Society (SEEdS), Community Garden Committee, and Community Center Building Committee have been instrumental in supporting Starks SummerKids. Physical fitness equipment, books, nutritious food items, and other materials have been purchased with grants from Move More Kids. Also, MSAD #74 has generously provided healthy snacks to the children in the program. We are most grateful for all of this support.

See you at Starks SummerKids! For more information about Starks SummerKids or about volunteering and/or to let us know if you plan to bring your children, please contact: Linda LaRose at 696-5435 or larose04911@gmail.com

2014 SummerKids

Schedule

Wednesdays July 2nd July 9th

July 16th July 23rd July 30th

Don’t miss this free special program for children! Learn about the wonderful variety of insects through models, specimens, pictures and

slides. Practice “being a bug!”

DATE: APRIL 23rd (Wednesday) TIME: 1:00 PM PLACE: Starks Community Center

Sponsored by the Starks Library and presented by staff from the L.C.Bates Museum

THE VOICE OF STARKS

Congratulations Justine Taylor! By Sam Whitmore

Ninety-year-old Justine Taylor now has the title of "oldest citizen of Starks" -- and a new cane to prove it. Well, it isn't actually new. Carrying on a tradition that began more than a century ago, Starks leaders this month presented a black ebony cane to Justine, the mother of five and a longtime resident of Poor Farm Road. Inscribed in its gold top: "Presented by the Boston Post to the oldest citizen of Starks, Maine." The Post donated 700 canes to towns all across New England back in the day, partly to build good word-of-mouth and partly to sell some extra papers. How  did  Justine  feel  on  her  big  day?  "Nice…  because  my  children  were  here, except one of my girls, who was out of state," she says. First selectman Paul Frederic, who happens to be Justine's nephew, personally presented his aunt with the storied black stick. He has seen at least four citizens receive the cane over the years.

The town learned a good lesson back in the 1950s, Paul recalls, when the then-oldest citizen in town, Barlow Nichols, decided in a fit of practicality to use the precious cane as a stove poker. Lest such a civic heirloom go up in smoke, Starks repossessed the original cane and invested in a replica. The original cane (see photo)

remains to this day safely inside a fireproof vault in the Starks town offices. It's the replica that Justine now keeps in her bedroom. Justine says she'd never use it as a poker, or even for its more traditional purpose, stating that she uses "no walker, no cane, no nothing." The Boston Post's "promotional gimmick" of bestowing the cane to a senior citizen "ironically outlived the newspaper itself," Paul notes. The Post went out of business in the 1950s. As for Justine, she plans to just keep going, working in her yard once the weather allows it, and eating as well as she can."It seems as though time has gone by so fast, you didn't even see it."

It’s Maine It's Maine. Here it is the first of March, and were it not for a strengthening sun, time could have stopped dead in its tracks sometime in January.

Maine. The whole idea of the place defies the conventions of mainstream America. It's not that anyone planned it to be this way, it is more the result of the inopportune, just as refrigerators were invented (elsewhere) about the time commercial ice harvesting was a major industry on our lakes, ponds and rivers.

You grow up with a different outlook. Not with diminished expectations, as others would see it, but with a different understanding of what matters in life. In fact, after venturing out and returning time and time again, I have come to think that a Maine worldview is the inverse of everything America has come to represent in the world.

Living here is like living in a religious community, without the religion. There is a sense of separation from the world in that we indeed belong to each other. You come to this place by way of initiation, that varies from season to season, could be black flies, the roads in mudseason, the struggle to keep your vehicle roadworthy, or a winter like this, each carving away what might be important in some other place, but not here.

March 2014 - Jay Robinson

OWLS, OWLS, OWLS On April 5th the Starks Library sponsored an Owl Presentation by Chewonki Foundation. The approximately 90 attendees enjoyed a lively lecture about these amazing birds, which included three live rescued owls.

57 Anson Road Starks, ME 04911

Phone: 207-696-8069 E-mail: townofstarks@gmail.com

Love thy neighbor as thyself. - Mark 12:31

Nomination Papers for Selectmen Available NOW! A Special Election will be held to fill a recent vacancy on the Board of Selectmen (Current Selectman Sterling Doiron has been accepted into the U.S. Air Force). The Special Election will be held Tuesday, July 1st. If you are interested in running for a position on the Board of Selectmen, nomination papers are available now from the Town Clerk. Candidates must submit 25 signatures by May 14th to be placed on the ballot. This Selectmen position would serve for the term from July 1, 2014 through March 14, 2015.

Thank You Joe Miller ! Much appreciation goes to Joe Miller who served on the Board of Selectmen for 6 years. During his tenure Joe initiated the start of the town newsletter, oversaw the construction of the sand/salt shed, and helped the town obtain Community Development Block Grants to build new bridges over Lemon Stream and Pelton Brook. His contributions have improved our town and we wish him all the best!

Starks Fire Department Volunteers Needed!

The fire department has begun a revitalization campaign! Volunteers are needed to grow the department to be viable and thriving once again. The equipment is being refurbished and refreshed. Recently, several trainings have been completed and more are scheduled. On Wednesday, April 16th at 6:00 PM the Maine Fire Service will conduct training on emergency vehicle operating and pump use at the Starks Fire Station If you are interested in participating contact: Chief Julie Costigan at 696-4675 or Training Coordinator Bill Pressey at 399-0199.