Welcome to Stetson...

Welcome to Stetson, Maine! A small town with just over 1,000 residents, Stetson has always taken pride in its strong rural character. Located 17 miles west of Bangor, people originally came to settle here because of the scenic beauty, excellent farmland after it was cleared, and an abundance of lumber. Natural resources including forestland, abundant wildlife, wetlands, water resources and unique natural areas contribute greatly to the quality of life. At six miles square, Stetson continues to provide open space and recreational activities such as fishing, snowmobiling, hunting, canoeing, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Pleasant Lake, located entirely within the town's borders, is a scenic 798 acre lake known for its excellent fishing and clean water. A scattering of camps and homes around its seven miles of shoreline have not detracted from its beauty or character. A second source of community pride is our historic Stetson Meetinghouse. Located in the center village, this beautiful building continues to serve as a gathering place for town meetings, public functions and community dinners.

While Bangor is the economic/employment center of the area, Stetson has taken on the identity of a bedroom - type community. Although experiencing moderate population growth, the town continues to maintain a rural, relaxed, yet active community atmosphere. Town government has always had the good fortune to have strong and conscientious leadership. Stetson has a history of fiscal responsibility, a relatively stable tax rate and maintains a capacity for growth. While welcoming such growth, Stetson continues to encourage safeguards and goals for protecting its natural resources and quality of life features well into the future.

Selectman’s Corner

Submitted by: Don Carroll

Well, the great fall and early winter weather seems to have come to an end and winter has arrived.
So all is well with the skiers, ice fishermen, snowmobilers, etc., however, not so good for fuel
consumption. If you have a problem obtaining fuel please call the town office and we will do our best
to help you or point you to people who can. Also in case of emergency, i.e.: major snow storms,
power outages for long periods of time etc., the Meeting House basement is equipped as an
emergency shelter with a large generator for heat and lights. Also there is food, cots and blankets
available. Hopefully we won’t need it, but remember it’s there if we do.
Moving to another subject, Jim Ricker, the Town Manager of Newport, has made available to
Stetson residents, the use of Newport’s transfer station for bulky waste disposal, such as TV’s,
monitors, white goods, tires, sofas and so on. For those of you who don’t want to hang on to this stuff
until our annual collection of the same, this is a great alternative. We are enclosing a list of
acceptable items and fees. The facility is located on the Ridge Rd. in Newport, just past the bridge on
the right going toward Plymouth. You must show proof of Stetson residency. Credit and Debit cards
are not acceptable.
We would like to send out a big thank you to the residents and staff of the Stetson Ranch for the
free dinner they prepared and served at the Meeting House on December 22nd. The turnout was not
that great, but the food was excellent! Hopefully they will try it again with a little more notice and not
as close to a major holiday. These folks would like to have more involvement with our community, so
let’s do what we can to help them achieve this goal. For the most part, these young people have
gone through some major bumps on their road to adulthood and can use whatever help we can offer.
So once again thanks for the dinner and please give us a chance.
The Select board will be holding budget works shops for Fiscal Year 2013 on the First and Third
Wednesday of February at 6:00PM at the Town Office. The public is welcome and limited input will
be welcome.
I know it’s a little early, but by the time the next newsletter is published, it will be one position to be
filled on the Select Board, Road Commissioner, and one School Director. Nomination papers will be
available on March 19, 2012, with a return date of April 27, 2012. That’s probably all the information
needed at this time if you wish to mark your calendars. The election will be held Tuesday June 12,
2012 and the Town meeting will be Saturday June 16, 2012.
I hope everyone had a great holiday season and stay safe and warm in pursuit of your winter
endeavors.

Sincerely, Don Carroll
Chairman of the Board of Selectmen