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Rolf Olsen of Searsport is retired from a long career in marketing and communications leadership positions in a variety of nonprofit organizations.
Most reasonable people can hold two competing ideas in their minds at the same time, believing both to be true. In Searsport on Tuesday, many people (estimates ranged from 100 to 200) gathered to celebrate the successful completion of the extensive, two-year reconstruction of Route 1 through our town, while also expressing their strong disappointment with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins over a broad spectrum of issues — from the prospect of many Mainers losing Medicaid coverage, to the genocide in Gaza, and more.
This was, after all, a vanishingly rare opportunity to see and hear Collins in person in her home state. According to a 2020 article in Time magazine, Collins hasn’t held a town hall meeting in Maine since her early years in the Senate, and I cannot find a single time she’s met in an open forum with her constituents in recent years. In June, her spokesperson stated, “She prefers smaller group meetings or Zooms, rather than holding town halls where very few people get to speak, and the level of civility is often not that high.”
Well, of course. It’s much easier to manage a conversation among a small group of invited guests than a truly open constituent forum. In recent months, other Republican legislators have been met with anger in town hall forums around the country.
Grace Bradley of WABI noticed my protest sign that read “Hate will not make us great,” and said she wanted to hear my views on the reconstruction project, not my political views. I was happy to oblige. As a Searsport resident for 10 years and having lived through the entire Route 1 reconstruction project, I told her that I am very pleased with the results. With new sidewalks, enhanced lighting and other features, our town is much more attractive and walkable, which I particularly value, living a quarter mile from the village.
I shared that as a retired person with plenty of free time and few fixed deadlines, the disruption was far less challenging for me than for people who had to get to work or kids to school on time. Many times, I had to drive a long detour that extended my usual trip to Belfast from around 6 miles to over 10 miles — but one morning I was excited to see my first-ever bobcat as it crossed the road in front of my car.
I let Grace know that I was disappointed we were not able to bury the power and other utility lines underground, but I understand that it became cost prohibitive. I reported that the opening of the new Edward’s Brothers’ supermarket, after a comprehensive renovation of the existing building, was an important added benefit to our community. Overall, I am extremely pleased. Most of these comments didn’t make it into the tightly edited piece that was broadcast.
Responding to the reporter’s questions, I also stated that I am disappointed in Collins’ votes in favor of several of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees who I believe are not qualified to serve in their roles. I said I remain especially confused by the failure of Collins and others in Congress to stand up to Trump’s blatant authoritarian actions.
Collins was one of 19 Republican senators who voted in favor of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill that made our Route 1 reconstruction possible, and she is to be thanked for that. But for her to be a centerpiece for this “celebration” was poorly conceived, I believe.
If the true purpose was to robustly celebrate the successful completion of this long, complex and enormously inconvenient project, then inviting Collins to be a key speaker was, I think, a bad choice. In the current political and cultural milieu, who could not have predicted that such an event would draw protestors, likely in large numbers?
I know there are many in Searsport and throughout the region, including me, who celebrate our beautiful and safer ride through our village. Many of us are also — to borrow a favorite Collins phrase — “very concerned” about the future of our country. She and others must step up their courage against the tyranny we’re watching unfold in our nation’s capital.
