Finding Common Ground

At Fairfield Hills

To the Editor:

I read with great interest the Bee editorial last week on Fairfield Hills. It’s clear to me that The Bee has been watching this issue, and is very much aware of the efforts of the Independent Party and its two members, Gary Davis and Po Murray, who have been advocating for a review of the Selectmen’s Fairfield Hills Master Plan for the past two years. Two weeks ago, Gary and Po formally requested that the Board of Selectmen identify the process by which such a review of this Fairfield Hills Master Plan could be undertaken.

Po and Gary also wrote to the Board of Education, asking the board not to request any changes to this master plan regarding its use of Kent House or other parts of the property as such changes should be discussed as part of a comprehensive master plan review.

Urgently, a review of all FFH plans is needed, but it won’t be easy to reach consensus. The chilling effects of rising unemployment and growing vacancies in commercial property (NY Times, 7/21/09, “Stores Go Dark…”) fan the fear of large-scale commercial mortgage default next year. To help the selectmen, I presented to them the five principles outlined in the book Common Ground by Cal Thomas and Bob Beckel to be used by groups attempting to deal with almost irreconcilable differences.

Common Ground principles: 1. There must be agreement that a problem exists and goals to be achieved. 2. To solve controversial issues, elements of historical orthodoxy of all parties must be included. 3. Chances for consensus increase when fresh ideas (new people) are included. 4. A strategy for governing must be provided with maximum political cover. 5. Do not pick fights where these four common ground governing principles cannot apply.

All voices must be heard and all data reevaluated. For example, the 5/3/1999 Kaestle Boos space needs report recommended increases in square feet: town offices: increase 64 percent, Board of Education 75 percent, Hook & Ladder 115 percent, Police 328 percent (not mentioned in 1999 – senior center) The 2008 Planimetric Report indicated potential significant growth in town population (6,340) and school population (883) in the next 30 years, requiring a larger high school and additional lower grade classrooms.

Already identified land needs exist for: Relay For Life, skate park, summer camp site with pool, Shakespeare-concert-in-the park, extended hiking, biking, riding trail systems, dog park, lacrosse playing fields, winter activities — ice skating, beginner’s ski slope, and more.

Let the Fairfield Hills Master Plan review begin at once!

“With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill, Sandy Hook                                         July 26, 2009