Opinions are clearly polarized about the potential impact of mega-cruise ships visiting Rockland. Some people believe it could be an enormous economic boon for our economy with few downsides. Others believe it would be a boondoggle and impose a metastatic cancer on Rockland which would erode our small-town character and jeopardize our enviable status as the art center of mid-coast Maine. I believe that the economic benefits of opening our port to mega-ships are greatly exaggerated and the downside considerably understated.

Most people agree, however, that our choice will have a profound impact on Rockland. We all want a vibrant community, a high quality of life, plenty of well-paying and secure jobs, abundant economic opportunities, and a great educational system. Our consideration should keep these strategic objectives in mind. Decisions should not be based on who can scream the loudest, who can slip something in before others catch on, the preferences of a few highly vocal shop-owners, or on pressure from special interest groups like CruiseMaine USA, a shill of the industry itself. Indeed, believing research CruiseMaine has funded is akin to believing a study on the effects of smoking funded by the American Tobacco Company! Decisions should be made by a vote of the well-informed electorate, the citizens of Rockland, following rigorous research, vigorous debate, and open discussion.

It will take time to do the right thing. A hasty decision to open Rockland's port to mega-ships could open pandora's box and be largely irreversible, while waiting can always be reversed. Like Tremont, Northeast Harbor, and Southeast Harbor, which have all struggled with similar issues, we should enact a 180 day moratorium on any decisions about whether to promote mega-cruise ships in Rockland or to approve the Coast Guard's efforts to create a federal anchorage at Broad Cove in Owls Head. If that is not enough time, we can always extend it.

Meanwhile, please visit Bar Harbor (or Ketchikan or Nassau or Key West or St. Thomas...) and witness the abundant ticky-tacky tourist shops and the crowded streets during the cruising season followed by a virtual downtown desert the rest of the year. Is this the quality of life you want for Rockland? Are we so desperate that we have to grab the lowest rung on the ladder and become just a convenient amusement park for the cruise lines? Let's take the time to do the right thing, and then all pull together to make Rockland the best it can be. Rockland Proud.

David Wylie, Rockland