New construction and improvements are well underway in our beautiful town of Damariscotta. A new drainage system is underway on Bristol Road and granite curbing is being installed for our new sidewalks, which will greatly improve the safety of people who walk along Bristol Road. There has been a real need for the last 15 years for a good sidewalk on Bristol Road.

This column marks the beginning of a new contribution to The Lincoln County News – keeping the community informed about the work of a grassroots collaborative known as the Public Safety and Accessibility Collaborative. As co-chairs of the collaborative, we will write a monthly column during the weeks and months to come. There is much to share!

My name is Haley Jalbert. I grew up in Walpole, Maine, spending many days going to South Bristol to swim and fish with my parents and grandparents on the island. Throughout my teenage years, I traveled a lot. In my senior year of high school, I moved to Abu Dhabi because my father was working for a Germany company that built luxury yachts out of old, decommissioned battleships. Living in the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East was a significant change for me. During the eight months I was there, I made many friends from all over the world.

Greetings all! I hope everyone is doing well and taking care of yourselves and your neighbors. I hope your Easter celebrations brought you joy. It is hard being apart from our loved ones, but hopefully we will all be together again soon. Being healthy is the most important thing.