Letter to the Editor: Harvell’s tenacity

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As a Boy Scout some years ago, I teamed up with a fellow Scout from the Wilton troop by the name of Harvell. Harvell and I were the only two Scouts from Franklin County troops that year to participate in the Philmont Ranch l0-day wilderness program. Besides a number of conservation, construction and archeology projects it also entailed climbing several challenging canyons and mountains in the southern Rockies.

It was a lot of hard work. Several in our group became discouraged and at times felt like turning back or giving up. But not Harvell.

A number of years later I became acquainted with Harvell‘s nephew, Lance. In the years I’ve known Lance, I’ve witnessed the same characteristics demonstrated by Lance’s uncle, my former scouting colleague.

I’ve also seen in Lance a person who shares with myself an appreciation for the lessons of history. Lance has also demonstrated a serious interest in the complex details of contemporary Maine government. We’ve spoken a number of times about them.

No one who knows as I do the independent character of Maine voters could be so presumptuous as to attempt to tell such voters how they should vote. That’s a decision each person makes for him or herself.

The Feb. 3 election does, however, offer an invitation to local voters to put into action Lance Harvell’s tenacity, sense of history and knowledge of Maine government.

Paul H. Mills
Farmington

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6 Comments

  1. Paul’s article was well written, and informative about Lance’s uncle, Paul, and the scouts. Feb.3 does give all the voters of Industry and Farmington as chance to vote for smarter government. Take a chance to learn all you can about Dennis Hazsko http://www.haszko.com, or Lance Harvell and vote for who you feel best represents your needs, and is best prepared to make a difference. Please don’t make a decision based on who your plumber recommends, or who’s uncle your lawyer hiked with. The details are out there, find out who listens to you and will speak for you! Vote!

  2. Admin logging in for Bill Crandall:

    Dear Barb,

    Although it seems you may have something against local plumbers and even local lawyers that hike, I have always appreciated people’s understanding of the community around them, and especially the value of each person’s input. And even though you are from away, I truely value your input into our community as well, as I know you have given alot of yourself through your volunteer efforts.

    Lance Harvell and his family have been a part of this region for generations, and he is directly tied to the biggest economic engine we have in this region, wood products (i.e. Verso Paper). Wood products continue to have a major impact on many, many folks in this area. Lance has been following Maine politics for many years and will have the most infomed knowledge of the two candidates to make wise decisions on budget cuts where they will be needed and those that will least hurt our region.

    I know and like Dennis Hazsko, as he seems like a nice enough person, but he has only recently moved to Farmington and to Maine for that matter, and that after coming from New Jersey and living in Canada for six years prior to becoming part of our “nice” hamlet. Even with some good ideas from other people, I have a hard time believing that any recent patents (2006 and on – I believe since Dennis has come to live in Farmington) that he has created any where near as many jobs as might be lost if we don’t focus on our region’s strengths and take control of state spending and over zealous regulatory system. Although it would be nice to know if ANY jobs have been truely created from Dennis’s efforts, other than lawyer work that is.

    One more note, Dennis has made comments about “smarter governement.” This worries me as it seems that the last thirty odd years under the democrat’s rule in this state; they have gotten smarter, that is to say they have figured out how to get more money from our pockets (increased fees, excise,land & income taxes, etc), completely control our land without paying us for it (and we still pay the high taxes for it), control our movements (seatbelt laws and other “Nanny laws” that create revenue for the state), control our freedom of speech (every thing is hate speech if you disagree with the liberal viewpoint), killed small business (regulations!), and they really know how to spend our money, so wisely in fact, even they don’t have any left! (This is why the Governor has finally cut spending, not because of his own fiscal restraint).

    My informed vote will be for Lance Harvell, a person that is one of us and “already” knows what is at stake in this state and for our region.

    Sincerely,
    Bill Crandall

  3. Bill,
    I wont judge Lance by all Republicans, you included. Don’t judge Dennis by what you perceive to have happened in history. There is a debate tonight at UMF where you and everyone can listen to the candidates answer the public’s questions, and then decide who is the best qualified for the job. I am very impressed with Dennis’s involvement in the community since he has been here. I have been less aware of Lance’s efforts to help the community. Perhaps those details will come out tonight. I will be at the debate ready to listen, and with an open mind.
    P.S. I will be wearing a seat belt on the way there. Call me crazy.

  4. Bill,

    Your comment to me after the debate tonight about your enjoying your exchange with Barb Marshall in the Bulldog and your saying “that candidates need to not take things personally” made me curious. So I decided to read this exchange.

    At first, I figured I would just ignore you. But then I began thinking and simply cannot resist the temptation.

    You state:

    “I know and like Dennis Haszko, as he seems like a nice enough person, but he has only recently moved to Farmington and to Maine for that matter, and that after coming from New Jersey and living in Canada for six years prior to becoming part of our “nice” hamlet. Even with some good ideas from other people, I have a hard time believing that any recent patents (2006 and on – I believe since Dennis has come to live in Farmington) that he has created any where near as many jobs as might be lost if we don’t focus on our region’s strengths and take control of state spending and over zealous regulatory system. Although it would be nice to know if ANY jobs have been truely (sic) created from Dennis’s efforts, other than lawyer work that is.”

    Well Bill, I’m sad to say that you apparently don’t know me quite as well as you think. If you did, you would realize that I’m not a lawyer from New Jersey. (I’m actually a patent agent from Farmington) As well, I didn’t come to Maine from NJ at all. I left NJ more than 23 years ago when I was 18, and smart enough to leave the most densely populated state in the Union. I worked my way through engineering school in Ohio, then apprenticed in patent law at the United States Patent & Trademark Office. This was a civil service position which I held for over 5 years until the Maine native I married talked some sense into me and we left Washington DC for New England.

    I’ve been coming to Maine since I met my wife in 1990. I worked my way through law school with a job in Portland, Maine from 1995 through 1997. We bought our first home in Farmington in 1997 where I opened a patent practice before I even graduated from law school. I had several Farmington clients and many other Maine clients even way back then.

    That’s when the stork arrived with my first son and made life a little bit hectic. So much so that my wife and I reluctantly put our lives in Maine on hold while I worked in Ottawa, Ontario. During that time, we spent what seemed like every available moment during the year and definitely every single summer in Maine. We felt like Mainers-in-exile, stuck in limbo in a place that was not home and working hard and living frugally to save some money so our planned return to Maine would go well.

    In 2006 when our younger son was ready for kindergarten, we packed up the U-Haul (really, I can send you the photos) and moved back to the place on Mosher Hill where we had spent so many summers along with fall and mid-winter visits. We never really left Maine. Indeed, my tax payments throughout the last decade or so helped put your children through school just like any other Farmington resident’s tax payments.

    Before and after our experience with Canada, I was an active member of the community. In fact, I was even an active member of the community during each of my return visits. On several occasions, I recall meeting with Alison Hagerstrom of GFDC and Jake Ward in Orono to remain in the loop with regard to economic development. During another trip back, I arranged a meeting with Rick Batt at FCHN to discuss my thoughts on creating an innovative program to create a virtual incubator in conjunction with FMH staff. Later, I found myself trying to develop what is now the Church Street Commons building. (The deal on that fell through due to failure of proper disclosure to me about underground oil tanks.) So while I may have been in Canada working to make a living and enabling my wife to stay at home with our preschool boys, my interests and heart was definitely still back here in Farmington.

    So next time you write something about me, please check your facts…or at least ask me.

    As for your last line Bill, do you really believe that your divisive underlying suggestion that “I am not one of you” is really appropriate?

    Small town or not, and politics be damned, please put a check on what you place in print.

    It’s quite odd that the good Mr. Frary who I may add is a DIRECT transplant from NJ and has no real recent goals other than spending fruitlessly on a doomed bid for Congress seemed to be fine for you a few short months ago.

    When I told you this evening that I do enjoy agreeing to disagree with you, I meant it. Your “voice of reason” at town meetings and such is great, but we are all adults here and the “you don’t know Maine like I know Maine” dribble is really quite absurd.

    It’s time that you recognized that there are so many other people here that contribute just as much as the hard working folks whose good fortune it was to have been born here.

    –Dennis

  5. Mr. Haszko is sorely deluded. I don’t know where he got his “info” about John Frary, but Professor Frary was born in Farmington on 2 December 1940. His family ran the Frary Wood Turning mill , where John worked for 12 years, in Wilton for decades. He graduated from Farmington High School, and attended UMaine Orono. He is the President of the Farmington HS Alumni Association. He has donated tens of thousands of dollars to local charities, including his entire Selectman’s salary for the playground fund.

    Apparently, Mr. Haszko is too new to the area to even know who the local prominent citizens are(!) I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as to his recent arrival in the area, but this confirms that having real Farmington roots really will make Lance a better Rep, and I guess it’s true that “you don’t know Maine like [Lance] knows Maine”.

  6. First, my statements made are not false, nor were they intended to be personally critical of Dennis, only information gleened from newspaper articles.

    I do recognize the many people that contribute to our community. One of my mentors and perhaps the reason I became so act ive in local government was Roger Perry. He was a doctor “from away,” he had my highest regard and is warmly remembered in my thoughts. We did not always agree on issues, especially when it came to the introduction of local ordinances in this town, but we were respectful and we were friends. I would like to continue to develop that same friendly respectful relationship with Dennis, and I am hopeful that others in this town and State will follow suit as these are troubling times and we need to find solutions that work for everyone.

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