To the Editor:

Seniors recently voted for another $3 million to build their promised senior center, which in reality is an extension to a community center.

The nearly 6,000 seniors (60 year+) will have to settle for a current estimated space square footage of 3,000 square feet, which is inadequate for a growing senior population, which will grow to 8,000 seniors (55 years+) in five years.

This deprivation of needed senior facilities and space clearly shows the flawed thinking of current town leadership that continues to fail to provide a just recognition and just representation for the taxes seniors pay every year.

The current leadership is more concerned with erecting their 40,000-square-foot "Community Sports Center" with a six-lane competitive pool, smaller two-lane entry pool, and space for Parks & Recreation. Consider the amount of money in question, the $15 million G.E. gift, an additional $5 million bonded and another $3 million bonded, with a total of $23 million.

But the fast growing senior population will have to settle for a very small annex of about 3,000 square feet. The current community design seems to favor prominent powerful voices who continue to lobby for their "Sport Center." This lobbying group seems to have the ears of the current leadership, which fails to consider the numerous negative consequences in the current design that ignores functionality and related operating costs that will burden the senior population. But such flawed thinking is not a new phenomena. We have only to remember the millions spent on the high school extension, unaware of the declining school population.

Additional flawed thinking led to the purchase of Fairfield Hills Property. This acquisition resulted in the town spending an additional $8 million to tear down useless buildings, again putting increased taxes on residents.

Dr Rudy Magnan

60 Watkins Drive, Sandy Hook         July 18, 2017