I understand absentee ballots are now available to be cast by registered voters of Camden and Rockport who happen to be spending time in warmer climates at this time of the year. However, from what I learned this week, the MSAD 28 School Board decided against sending information to all registered voters via first class mail. Instead, notification of the $28 million middle school expansion plan was send via bulk (aka, junk) mail to all postal delivery addresses in Camden and Rockport.

This might sound like a trifling distinction, but having perused the voter lists many times, I am well aware that there are a number of locally registered voters who do not maintain mailing addresses in either Camden or Rockport. Some receive their mail at post office boxes in Rockland, Thomaston, Union, etc. Then there are the elderly who are registered to vote here but are residing with relatives in other places and, possibly, other countries. Then there are our service men and women stationed around the world. And, we have sons and daughters who retain their residence here but may be working, for example, in Washington, D.C. And, of course, there are those who, as I mentioned earlier, like to spend their winters in warmer climates.

Junk mail is seldom forwarded and especially mail that isn't addressed to a specific person, as was (apparently) the case with the school board "mailing." I say "apparently" because I have been informed that our household must have received such a mailing but as it is my practice to throw junk mail away unopened, I probably discarded it unread and unaware of its contents. After all, someone who can't take the time to address their mail to a specific person doesn't deserve to have their trash opened.

So, our elected school board is, apparently, being less than honest with their promise to make sure all voters are aware of the upcoming vote that will add significantly to our taxes.

William Chapman lives in Rockport.