Letter: Beacon Falls has choices to make

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To the editor,

The position of a Beacon Falls Economic Development Coordinator was approved by the taxpayers of Beacon Falls via a town meeting vote, as it was a line item in the town budget. Since I served the Town of Beacon Falls as minority and first selectman for 18 years, I was immediately interested in pursuing the position as an additional way to “give back” to my hometown. Believe me, the salary was not the objective here — I believed and still do, that I have the working knowledge and expertise to assist the EDC in and through this position to benefit the town now and in the future.

I placed a call to Jeremy Rodorigo, chairman of the EDC, and expressed interest. He informed me that the position would be posted for interview. The position was approved in July of this year and didn’t get posted until October 2014. During that time I began to do extensive research and also catalogued several ideas, some that I’d hoped to see come to fruition during my tenure as first selectman. Unfortunately, during that three months, others in this town, obviously having knowledge of my interest in the position, used their time to anonymously write blogs on the Citizen’s News site to denigrate my character, my service to the town and tenure as first selectman, and my entire family’s commitment to this community. How disgraceful and disingenuous can people be?

So, in light of all that transpired, I withdrew my name from consideration, only to find out that the EDC had requested that the position not be posted, and the monies earmarked for this position be transferred to a marketing project to further study the needs of the town. This is troubling. Why did the EDC not support the wishes of the taxpayers who voted to create this position? Also monies cannot “just be transferred.” This will require intervention of the Boards of Selectmen and Finance — more time wasted and funds not applied to where the taxpayers voted to apply them — not at all acceptable.

Ladies and gentlemen of Beacon Falls, blogs, emails, partisan politics, talk around town, personal posturing and the like will get us nowhere. As I see it, Beacon Falls has choices to make: either remain where we are and support the ideas that progress is unnecessary and change is a bad thing, or continue to move our town forward economically to help ease the tax burden of our citizens. Anyone can sit by and do nothing, but the key word supporting the end-result is just that — nothing. They’ll be no growth, no future, no tax relief. You can’t have it both ways — if planning and growth are not constant considerations, taxes will never decrease, but services definitely will.

When one enters political office, the assumption is that, you’re seeking that office as a way to serve others — that’s what representative government is, right? Well, that’s exactly what I did for 18 years. Most times we got it right, sometimes we didn’t, but to go on a blog campaign to discredit me is inexcusable, especially when the writers refuse to sign their names to their comments. My tenure in office produced positive growth for Beacon Falls and I’m proud of what my administration accomplished. I have always and still do hold the people of Beacon Falls in the highest esteem and am proud to be not only a native but a servant. In the end, I believe that we will always do what is best for our town, even though I have no doubt that this letter will give more fodder to the anonymous people of the “blogisphere.” Well, so be it. The real challenge for all of us is to make choices — whether to listen to those who hide behind their words, would do things to benefit themselves or those who work for the good of all. Hopefully you will choose the latter, because I always have and always will.

Susan A. Cable

Beacon Falls

1 COMMENT

  1. WOW! Some things will never change. Still blaming everything on everybody when you don’t get your way. Glad to see if you do come back it will be business as usual. Watch your back Mr Bielik you have angered the Queen.