To the Editor:The Bee concerning the memorial at High Meadow, I wish to provide some facts. These facts are from my perspective as the preparer of the 2005 Master Plan for Fairfield Hills. Even though this letter is an opinion piece, a quote by Senator Moynihan comes to mind: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts."The Bee published a two-page insert describing alternative plans.Democracy in America. That book included the following: "The threat to America is not of a tyrant, but rather the tyranny of special interests." Be it in the Congress or at the community level, this has never been truer than it is in 2016.

After reading the article in

Fact 1: The preparation of the Fairfield Hills plan included the most thorough public participation process in my over 40 years as a planner. The Fairfield Hills Committee held 26 meetings, invited 45 community groups to present needs, held two community workshops of two meetings each, hosted a tour of the campus, and produced a video broadcast on local access TV.

Fact 2: Every possible use for the High Meadow was discussed. These included corporate office, potential school sites, housing, and open space. The bulk of the activities proposed in the plan were located in the 35-acre core of the campus. The future use of the High Meadow would remain flexible in order to address future needs. It was not the desire of the community at large to designate the area as open space.

Fact 3: During the planning process there was a small, but vocal, group advocating that large portions of the campus be designated as permanent open space.

Fact 4: Similar to the current debate over the location of the memorial, this small group prolonged the process of the adoption of the plan. As a result, the economics of the plan, including increased tax and lease revenues to support activities and possibly add to the general fund, hit a roadblock with the commencement of the recession. Had the plan been approved within a reasonable time, the marketing of buildings would have started much in advance of the recession. As a result of the delay, several of the buildings continued to deteriorate, making them infeasible for reuse.

Fact 5: Subsequent to adoption of the plan, a small group continued to press for designation of the High Meadow as open space in contradiction of the plan. This process did not involve the community participation undertaken as part of the master plan planning process.

Once again a small group has succeeded in delaying an action intended to meet an agreed upon and community supported need. In 1850, Alexis de Tocqueville, after touring America, authored a book titled

Based on the above facts, the memorial should be located in the High Meadow, consistent with the master plan and the opinion of a majority of Newtown residents.

Richard Harrall

27 Maple Street, Chester May 23, 2016