| 15 June 2009
People say "politics is politics" and it was never more true than the May 13 meeting of the State and Local Government Committee in Augusta where politics trounced historical research and facts. With little regard for any of the information that was painstakingly researched and presented, the Committee voted "ought not to pass" on LD 1410, an Act to Restore the Historical Boundary Between Harpswell and Brunswick. Anyone who cares about good government should be concerned, not just because few committee members actually read the history before making their decision, but because our State Senator Stan Gersofsky promised "fairness" while actually working behind the scenes against Harpswell.
Here are some facts you should be aware of. First, Harpswell's "Carrying Place Committee" met with our State Senator, Stan Gersofsky earlier this year, along with Representative Leila Percy. At that meeting we gave Mr. Gersofsky a set of detailed information that included historical research proving that the boundary line between Harpswell and Brunswick follows Brunswick's high tide line in the Middle Bay/Merepoint Bay area. Mr. Gersofsky told us he "would read the file and get back to us." He never did. He did not call any member of the Carrying Place Committee to ask follow-up questions, make suggestions or discuss any issue in the file. He did not ask to meet with Harpswell's Selectboard to get their feedback. He did meet with the Brunswick Town Council, either at his own suggestion or at their request.
Second, and most important, it is almost certain that Harpswell gave away its rightful ownership to hundreds of acres of tidal flats and upland in 1998. This is not based on hearsay or anecdote. It is based on documentation. The historical action that set Brunswick apart from North Yarmouth resulted in a clear and undisputed boundary. This boundary north and northwest of Harpswell was at the Brunswick high tide line or "by the shore." It is without question that prior to the 1998 vote, Brunswick could lay no claim to any waters off its south and southeast shore, specifically in Middle Bay or Merepoint Bay.
So who did own those waters and islands? It is clear that Harpswell did. Ten years ago we heard testimony that these waters and islands, known as "the gore", were not owned by any town. We were told there were no historical records showing who owned these waters and islands. This was wrong. There are records and we have found them.
Two weeks ago, two members of the Carrying Place Assembly made the trip to the Boston to further research the Massachusetts Historical Archives. This research uncovered the proverbial "needle in the haystack", a piece of historical evidence that clearly shows that in 1749, the Massachusetts General Court granted all land and waters in "the gore" to Harpswell. When Harpswell petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts to be set off as a distinct "precinct" or town as we now call it, the Court, on June 14, 1749, granted Harpswell "the Lands and Island mentioned in the Petition togather (sic) with the Gore of Land So called Lying between North Yarmouth and Brunswick...be and hereby are Erected into a District and Separate precinct..." This language clearly creates a district- Harpswell - that includes the land and waters south and southeast of Brunswick's high tide.
In its rush to settle the border dispute with Brunswick 10 years ago, Harpswell made a mistake. That mistake cost us a large chunk of land and a big part of our 250-year-old history. We should correct that mistake. Our representative, Leila Percy is to be commended for her dedication to fairness and service to the citizens of Harpswell. Without her help, we never could have placed LD 1410 before the legislature. We lost this first battle, not because we didn't have the facts, but because simple politics won out. But we have right to try again and this time, to demand that we are given a full and fair hearing by legislators. We ask you to stand with us and reclaim Harpswell's rightful heritage.