Let The Citizens Be Heard

To the Editor:

I am very distraught (angry, frustrated, bewildered could also go here) as of late with what is happening in our town. As a taxpayer, a homeowner, a voter, and, most importantly, a mother, it is frightening that our town leaders can put other projects ahead of our schools. I, like many others I have spoken to lately, moved here recently because of the schools. I currently have a fourth and sixth grader and up to this point, couldn’t be happier with the education they are receiving, but the road ahead is scary and I am very uncomfortable with where it is leading.

I was a firm believer that as a taxpayer, I could have some say as to how my tax dollars could be spent. In our town, as voters, there are referendums put forth to find out what we want done with our tax dollars. Why are we not given that right with our high school? How dare the Board of Selectman take that right away from the citizens of this town? This project has been discussed ad nauseum, we have put forth to the state a high school expansion that will meet our needs without going overboard and now we are at risk of starting back at square one. If this high school expansion was reduced in any way, it would result in delays that we can’t afford this late in the game. Dollar for dollar, we will get more for our money moving forward with the current plan than to reconfigure it in a smaller version; therefore, what sense does it make to start over?

On Monday, many of our town leaders got together to get the answers to any of the questions that they still might have. I hope at the end of that meeting everyone left with their questions answered, and we can now move this project ahead. I was hoping to see some of those leaders at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday and was disappointed by their absence. It would have been a good opportunity for them to see how thorough the Board of Education was when deliberating what to do next.

I ask our Legislative Council to put the high school back on the docket for April 22, to give the people in this town (that elected you) a chance to speak. I ask the Board of Finance to approve and move this forward Thursday night. And I ask the Board of Selectman to move this forward as soon as the Legislative Council directs you to do so. Finally, I thank the Board of Education for holding their emergency meeting Tuesday and for putting forth what they felt was the best available option.

In closing, I ask the citizens of this town to let their voices be heard. Contact your board members and let them know your thoughts, all of their contact information is available at www.newtown-ct.gov.

Kimberly Duffy

4 Chestnut Knoll Drive, Sandy Hook                          March 26, 2008