Support Legislation To Establish a Commission To Support, Preserve and Maintain Maine Monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

My dear Ladies and Gentlemen~

I have just received this and wanted to get it out to you all post haste! I have been in touch with Senator Davis and we would love to have as many Brothers and Sisters attend as possible. I apologize the short notice, but I just received this myself last evening.

Warmest regards,
Miss Rose

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Brothers, I am the PDC of the Department of Maryland and a current member of the SUVCW Committee on Legislation. While reviewing pending legislative actions, I noted that Bill SP0100 in the Maine Senate has been introduced to create an endowment for the maintenance of the state of Maine's monuments on the battlefield at Gettysburg. I spoke last night with the bill's sponsor - Senator Gerald Davis of Falmouth. Open testimony was to be held last Monday, but was delayed due to the snow storm. It will be rescheduled in the next two weeks. (Public Hearing is now on Mar 2, 2009, 1000AM, Room 216 Cross Office Building)Senator Davis would like to have some public turnout in favor of this bill.

Unfortunately, the Department of Maine SUVCW website does not have any emails or phone numbers for any of the department officers, but I was able to get your emails via another source. Could someone PLEASE take the lead on this and get out the troops for this hearing. If any of you are re-enactors, appearing in uniform would be a perfect photo op for newspapers or television, so contact the media if you can. Contact Senator Davis directly (I copied him on this email) and make sure your department commander is aware of this. I have been in touch with the CinC and he is also aware of this issue.

Additionally, Senator Davis qualifies to be a brother and would be interested in joining a camp - most likely the camp in Yarmouth.

Please keep me posted on your steps to get support out for this bill and if you do testify.

Yours in fidelity, charity and loyalty,

Steve Hammond, PDC
Department of Maryland
Crofton, MD 21114
410-721-5236 home
202-828-0448 office
202-439-5392 mobile
shammond@aamc.org

Sponsored By: Senator DAVIS of Cumberland
Cosponsored By: Representative ADAMS of Portland
Representative CEBRA of Naples
Senator MILLS of Somerset
Representative ROBINSON of Raymond
Representative SAVIELLO of Wilton
Senator SHERMAN of Aroostook
Senator TRAHAN of Lincoln
Representative WHEELER of Kittery

Forums:

Maine Civil War Reenactors

Web link

Web address to follow this as it moves through the Legislature
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/billtexts/SP0100...

Thanks for the heads up Christabell.

-- Michael P. Johnson Jr. Admin & Owner

Commission to Preserve Gettysburg Monuments

Ladies and Gentlemen~
I am elated to report the meeting went extremely well. I, as well as a 1st Cav persona and a British officer spoke in favor. We even had one of the audience give testimony in favor after hearing us. There was a representative from the SUV there as well as Dick Campbell and another gentleman who's name escapes me(if you read this, please refresh my weary mind). We had the full attention of the board while speaking and the bill has now moved on to the working session next week. I am to attend that as well. I shall report back once I have details.
Miss Rose

monuments

PS~
There "may" be things in the works to tend to other Maine monuments both in state as well as out of state. ;)

UPDATE on LD304

Ladies and Gentlemen~
I am just back from teh working session on LD304. I must report that it is receiveing unanimous support... well, the issue is. It is now being worked out how to go about it. Due to legislature members being involved, there are hoops to jump through, etc. Everyone on the committee is looking at whatever options are available to make this bill happen.A suggestion was made to encorporate it into the Sesquicentennial, but I am with hopes we dissuaded them from that option.
Also~
I was approached by the legislature's analysis and was told that of all the bills listened to of late on public radio... they got the most calls of any recent bill after I, the British Emmisary and our 1st Cav representative spoke. We CAN move mountains if we speak up!!!
Stay tuned.
Miss Rose

Update 2: LD304

My dear Ladies and Gentlemen~
I fear politics may be altering the original theory behind this bill. While it indeed is getting resounding support, I fear the politics involved may cause things to go further askew than they seem to already be heading.
I am in contact with a Son of the Union Veterans and we are working to get things set back straight.
The "Firecracker" has had her fuse lit on this and will hope it is a long fuse.
I shall keep you all posted.

~Miss Rose

Tabled LD304

Ladies and Gentlemen~
A quick update on LD304. It appears that we may take the bill off the table. Seems a better option may be to form a private foundation to assure the care and upkeep of our state's treasures.
The next session is 30 March and we shall see how it goes.
One way or the other, our monuments will recieve the care they so well deserve.
~Miss Rose

LD 304 as Amended and Passed 30 March 2009

My dear Ladies and Gentlemen~

I am pleased to inform you that LD304: 'Resolve, To Allow for the Support, Preservation and Maintenance of Maine Monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania' has passed.

While the original concept was for a commission to be established, this new revision circumvents the red-tape that such a commission would require. It has been decided instead to have a private group/committee as it were to organize the fund raising with the support of individual legislators. The funds will be allocated accordingly.

A special mahalo nui loa to Dick Campbell, James Brown, Tom Desjardin and Senator Davis for the insightful guidance I received from each of you in this process. It shall prove most valuable.

For those who may not realize, when we do G.A.P. we are only cleaning up the area with direction form the park service. Any work done on the monuments is done only by the park services. This is why the funds must be channeled to the Department of the Interior. We can not commission any work done on our own, but we CAN stipulate how the money is used when transferred. Anyone wishing to participate is encouraged to do so.

Warmest Regards,
Miss Rose

(And, yes, James this is the first phase of the plan. The other out of state monuments have not been forgotten. The in-state ones are falling under the Sesquicentennial activates)

(this is from my copy of yesterday's session. The 'official' one will be posted on the Maine.gov website.... at some point)

LD 304 as Amended and Passed 30 March 2009

Committee Amendment to LD 304, Resolve, To Establish a Commission to Support, Preserve and Maintain Maine Monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Amend the bill by striking out the title and replacing with the following:

'Resolve, To Allow for the Support, Preservation and Maintenance of Maine Monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania'

Amend the bill be striking out the concept draft and replace with the following:

''Sec 1. Account established. Resolve: That the Director of the Bureau of Veterans' Services within the DOD, Veteran's and Emergency Management shall establish a non-lapsing special revenue interest bearing account, from the effective date of this resolve until June 30, 2014, for the purpose of accepting and administering state and local funds, gifts and other contributions to be disbursed at appropriate times to the federal Department of the Interior to be used for the purpose of repairing and maintaining the Maine Monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and it be further

Sec. 2 Liaison with interested parties. Resolved: That the Director of Veterans' Services within the DOD, Veteran's Services and Emergency Management may work with stakeholders, interested parties and individuals to solicit donations and develop plans for repairing and maintaining monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.'

SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the concept draft. Instead of establishing a commission to preserve and maintain Maine monuments in Gettysburg Pennsylvania, it requires the That the Director of the Bureau of Veterans' Services within the DOD, Veteran's and Emergency Management to establish a non-lapsing special revenue interest bearing account to receive donations. At appropriate times, the Director shall disburse money to the federal Department of the Interior for the purpose of repairing and maintaining Maine monuments in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.