An Overly Zealous Mission

To the Editor:

We are writing this letter to express our concern over the participation of Planning and Zoning alternate member Meg Maurer on any committee that is setting policy regarding horse farms or horse boarding facilities in Newtown.

Ms Maurer has made very clear, due to her strong opposition to Zoar Ridge Stables, her position on horses in our town. When she lost that battle, she suddenly appeared on the P&Z Commission as an alternate, presumably to continue her fight on a larger scope.

To represent the community on the Planning and Zoning Commission, one needs to be able to fairly consider both sides of an issue. Ms Maurer has demonstrated over and over that she does not recognize the long history of horses in Newtown or support their visibility in the future. We fear that if allowed to sit on the Planning and Zoning Commission, Ms Maurer will continue her overly zealous mission to extinguish any growth in the horse community and over-control existing farms.

Horse owners are leaving the area in high numbers, as some towns have become less horse friendly. It is our hope that the voters of Newtown will send a message to our town government in the November election and not allow Meg Maurer a permanent position on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Jackie Willing

Dan Willing

5 King Street, Newtown                  August 14, 2001