click here for Chebeague Island Community Association (CICA)
Chebeague wins independence!
Report submitted February 24th to the State and Local Committee of the Legislature. For a copy of the full report click here. For an abbreviated report for faster loading click here (1/2 size of the first report).

click here for directions to Augusta


Updated Report by the Secession Representatives to the Town of Cumberland 10/18/05

Report by the Secession Representatives to the Town of Cumberland 9/15/05


Introduction

The Chebeague Island Community Association's mission is"to ensure the viability of Great Chebeague Island as a year-round community." The association was formed in 2005 as a result of research done by a group of community members concerned about the risk of loosing the elementary school on island.

During the initial research there was broad support in the community that a local on-island school at least through grade 5 is essential to support a year-round community. Other critical issues soon emerged such as affordable housing and transportation. While these critical issues are being addressed by various groups including Island groups, Town officials, MSAD and private concerns, there is no community based island entity that provides a public forum to discuss all issues related to health and safety of the year-round community.

The Association is committed to an open forum and the inclusion of all individuals with a concern for the Chebeague Island community This includes registered voters, year-round residents, summer residents, mainland residents, friends and neighbors. We are committed to working in a positive way with Town officials and MSAD51 to address the critical issues.

 


LD 1735 -An Act To Authorize Chebeague Island To Secede from the Town of Cumberland go to the revised committee amendment to LD 1735


Information packet mailed out February 21 summarizing the status of the secession effort
and the agreements with the SAD and the town

Report on Negotiations with the Town and SAD51

1. Tentative agreement from January 7th, 2006

2. Joint statement on the tentative agreement with SAD51

February 16, 2005 -- There was a town public meeting tonight to discuss the agreement as written in the legislation which I do not have a copy of yet. They will be having another public meeting February 21 at 5pm at the Town office to discuss further on the agreement and they then talked about voting on the agreement on Monday, February 27 which is only a few days before the public hearing scheduled for the State and Local Committee of the Legislature. The school board has scheduled an executive session meeting and then a public meeting for Friday morning at 8 am for the purpose of discussing the their portion of the legislation regarding separation. The State and Local Government is scheduled to have a public hearing on Friday, March 3rd for LD1735 An Act To Authorize Chebeague Island To Secede from the Town of Cumberland. The Hall of Flags has also been reserved by us so that we may give further information about Chebeague and the Community and what we are hoping to do.



Late December Update: Chebeague Self Governance

In the past month CICA and the group of 5 secession petition representatives have made good progress towards our goal of self governance; and, there is much work to be done in the weeks ahead. Two meetings in the past few weeks were notable: we met with the Board of Selectmen of North Yarmouth, who had questions regarding why we,re exploring secession, and, what the impacts might be on the citizens of North Yarmouth. It was a cordial and professional conversation, and individuals from expressed support for the goals of self governance. And, we met with North Yarmouth, Cumberland, SAD51, and representatives from the Department of Education, so that all parties could hear the same message regarding impacts of Chebeague,s proposed secession. We have also sponsored visits from legislators who are interested in learning firsthand about the issues faced by Chebeague.

What,s next? Negotiations with the Town have begun, and the challenge of a fair and equitable settlement is at the forefront. Talks with SAD51 regarding school-specific issues will begin later this month. The bill regarding our secession has been officially submitted, and we will continue to look for opportunities to connect with key legislators.

What can you do to help? Contributions of time and money are welcomed; time, in terms of helping out with visits, letter writing, and mailings; and money, for the costs of mailing, legal fees, etc. If you would like to learn more, please contact any of the 5 secession petition representatives: Mark Dyer, Jeff Putnam, Beverly Johnson, Dave Stevens, or Mabel Doughty.


Secession is Chebeague's only hope

by David R. Hill
from the Portland Press Herald
October 13, 2005

Chebeague Island is seriously contemplating seceding from the town of Cumberland and people want to know why. The issues are more complex than they might appear and, oddly enough, it's not all about money. It is highly unlikely that secession will immediately lower property taxes on Chebeague, if ever.

The defining characteristic of an island creates the need for independence - physical isolation. It isn't that easy or efficient to participate in mainland government when a body of water intervenes and one depends on the ferry schedule to do what others take for granted.

It isn't for lack of trying. In their early days as a town (formed in 1821), Cumberland and Chebeague were even more distant, since there were no direct transportation links other than private sailing vessels. Back then, Chebeague was functionally an independent community, though its residents occasionally locked horns with the mainland.

It has only been since the 1956 bulding of the bridge from the mainland to Cousins Island and regular ferry service began between Cousins and Chebeague that students began traveling to the mainland for schooling and more two-way participation in government developed.

Also, the system became more formalized with the creation of Maine School Administrative District 51 (1966) and adoption of the council/manager form of government (1972). Chebeague initially opposed both of these actions.

This form of long-distance representative government has failed. Chebeague and Cumberland may share a charter, but they do not share a community.

Despite repeated attempts by Cumberland and Chebeague to work together, understand each other's needs and function as a unit, it just hasn't worked. The 3 miles of Casco Bay separating the two sections of town is just too great a gulf to span.

While Cumberland's priorities tend to focus on controlling growth within the rapidly growing Portland suburb, Chebeague's priorities deal with the basic survival of a traditional rural island community.

NOT ABOUT TAXES

More than 80 percent of the registered voters of Chebeague signed a petition seeking a meeting with the Town Council to discuss secession. Soon, both communities will vote on the issue.

Practically every petition signer will say that secession is not about taxes. So, what is it about? Three things: fear, survival and independence.

Fear that our school will close. Fear that young people won't be able to find a place to live on Chebeague. Fear that older people can't afford to stay in their homes. Fear that the fishing community will be forced off the island. Fear that the islands near Chebeague will fall prey to destructive development. Fear that a vibrant working waterfront community will become another Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard.

Those concerns all point to a very strong fear that the community may not survive in its present form. Maine had more than 300 island communities (each with its own school) in 1900. Today, that number has dwindled to 14.

RIGHT TO SURVIVE?

Does a community have a right to demand that it survive? Maybe not. But does it have an obligation to do everything within its power to ensure its survival? The American way would answer, "Most assuredly, yes."

And that leads to independence. When municipal and educational circumstances force residents to wonder if there is any future for the island, it becomes clear that we must take matters into our own hands. Maybe we'll fail, and Chebeague will become the summer resort island of the 2020s. But if we don't try, failure is virtually assured.

What is much more likely is that with self-government will come self-preservation. We'll keep the elementary school open to teach just one pupil, if it comes to that. We'll provide affordable housing. We'll support our fishing community and serve as responsible stewards to the small islands near us. We'll use our tax dollars to ensure our futures.

The time has come for Chebeague Island, with the encouragement and support of the town of Cumberland and the state of Maine, to follow the lead of Thomas Jefferson and "assume the blessings and security of self government."


Click here to view the CICA Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and 501(c)(3) IRS non-profit organization application.

Contributions may be sent to CICA Treasurer, c/o Cheryl Stevens, 278 South Road, Chebeague, ME 04017
click here for a PLEDGE CARD


Meeting Minutes

Note: As most of you know, the election in early November included overwhelming support from Chebeague voters for moving forward on the question of secession. Soon after that vote, we began negotiations with Cumberland. However, check back often to learn of upcoming public meetings and other events. Here are minutes from earlier meetings.


Reports and Information



Articles, Editorials and Letters