Letter: Former first selectman responds to articles

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To the editor,

Having just read two articles in the Citizen’s News (July 7, 2017) about Beacon Falls, I feel compelled to comment.

First is the article on the Wolfe avenue property:

Under my administration as first selectman we did purchase the house in 2008. This was a majority vote at a town meeting with the original intent being to look into using the property for a community media center/library. A committee was formed to evaluate this process. The result of this committee’s evaluation, after a lot of work, was that it would be more cost effective to take the building down and then put a committee together to work on costs of a new media center. Both the Board of Selectmen and the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to take the building down. This was the first step to seeing what the town wanted to do with this property in the future. However, the Historic Commission along with our then town historian/Selectman, Michael Krenesky, fought this wanting to keep the house as a historical building in town. This started a battle and held up progress which then resulted in a stalemate until a new administration came in. I left a folder with steps about demolition and steps and ways to get money without just hitting the taxpayers. I also was part of creating the blight ordinance. The building is now blight and unsafe and should come down as originally voted on. Then the town can decide to sell the property or look into a community center with a walkway and stairs to downtown — a step towards helping economic development.

Second is the article on downtown improvements:

The Tomorrow’s Downtown Committee Merchant’s Association and town commissions and committees worked with DeCarlo and Doll to implement a plan of revitalization for downtown. We accomplished removal of guardrails from the median, Volunteer Park, Veteran’s Park, Walkway and Depot Bridge. Town organizations like the Lions hold the duck race to motivate supporting our downtown businesses. The original plan came to a stalemate also and newer residents do not always support local businesses and events in town. This plan should have been monitored and updated by present leaders and EDC to motivate growth.

As past first selectman, I know how hard it is to motivate all involved in projects and to find grants to help subsidize these projects. Two years ago there was money, $10,000, for an EDC consultant. I was excited and hoping to do this job because I could concentrate on these projects without having to worry about all the other aspects of being first selectman. I was shot down because of politics, and today no one is doing the job. Now Board of Finance Chair Joe Rodrigo and his committee added almost three times that amount in the budget.

Although I have temporarily taken an apartment in Middlebury Crossings for personal reasons, my heart and commitment remains in Beacon Falls and I will do whatever I can to help my community be better than ever without hurting the taxpayers because I care. No ego here, I just care.

Susan A. Cable

Waterbury

The writer is a former First Selectman in Beacon Falls