Partisan Talk On Ticks

To the Editor:

Last Thursday evening, an advisor to the Newtown Tick-Borne Disease Action Committee (TBDAC) gave an extremely partisan talk on the subject of Lyme disease at a local club of which I am a member.

The TBDAC is at present in the process of writing its report, and no agreement has yet been reached on what will be recommended to the Board of Selectmen. It seems unethical that advisors to the TBDAC are making speeches to local clubs that represent their personal opinions regarding tick-borne disease management strategies when the TBDAC is actively debating these issues.

 Last September, advisors and committee members were advised when they were appointed to the TBDAC by the Board of Selectmen that they were expected to leave their politics and biases at the door, and to objectively evaluate the best methods to help Newtown decrease its incidence of tick-borne disease.

Although advisors and members of the TBDAC are entitled to their personal opinions, public speeches in advance of the TBDAC report are inappropriate.

Sincerely,

Marjorie Cramer, MD

38 Huntingtown Road, Newtown                                    May 19, 2010