Letters to the Editor July 7

So much is said about affordable housing in Salisbury with poor information

This is in reply to a letter from Vivian Rockwell Nasiatka in the June 30 edition of The Lakeville Journal.

I am not surprised by numerous statements about Wendy Hamilton and affordable housing in Salisbury that are based on misinformation. Allow me to tell you why.

Ms. Hamilton contacted the “privately funded”group in town and they ignored her offer of property for affordable housing. It seems that system doesn’t work so well, which perhaps is why you support it.

Ms. Hamilton then decided to do it herself and went through three months of public sessions with Planning and Zoning. Where were you and your fellow Salisbury Republican Town Committee (SRTC) members?

These events (not to mention letters about Ms. Hamilton) were reported in The Lakeville Journal. Of course, for those of you who don’t read the only local newspaper, how would you know ... or is it that you just don’t want to know?

There have been two reports issued on affordable housing over the course of the last three years ... prior to the formation of the Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission... Have you bothered to read either of them?

If as you say “many of the Salisbury Republican Town Committee members were unaware of this issue,” I must wonder if the SRTC has its head buried in the sand. If you want to know what is going on in small town America you must read small town news, attend meetings, and listen to or watch small town media. The New York Times doesn’t carry a lot of this “trivia.”

Having attended many of these meetings (my life is so dull) I have noted the glaring absence of you and your fellow SRTC members. But, if you do wish to do research on the history of this issue, it is in the public record in a place called Town Hall.

As for Ms. Hamilton’s complaints about our town officials, it is not an issue of Democrat or Republican. It is someone who believes that we need to be much more aggressive about affordable housing and that our public officials are not at that level yet. It also seems that your SRTC is actually supporting some of these officials (Democrats). Can you explain that? Do you wear your political stripes or paint them on others only when it is at your convenience?

I attended one of your SRTC meetings where your chairman stated that affordable housing was not something that served the “public welfare.” I was there and heard that.

While the well-intentioned folks involved in the local nonprofits have tried hard to move this issue forward, I suspect that it is the thinking of people like the SRTC that have created all of the NIMBY roadblocks and it is why the rest of us will suffer from a narrow, fact-less approach to this and other issues facing our community.

Michael J. Flint

Lakeville
 

 

New stores, restaurants are very welcome 

It’s terrific to see new shops coming to our towns to add to the many that have survived during these rough times.   

Two new guys on the block that I have particularly enjoyed are Encore in Salisbury (how surprising to have a proprietor tell you she won’t sell you something because she knows you’ll never wear it), and P. D. Walsh’s Country Store in Falls Village (so many interesting items, and wonderful musical events every other Saturday night).

The new restaurants in Lake-ville are welcomed additions, and, of course, we all have our favorite old and fairly new establishments. Some of us have tried to think of what could be the next great kind of shop to have around, have come up with some fun ideas, but have no clue as to what might make a go of it.

Here’s hoping business people more creative than we are come up with “different” ideas to fill the available spaces … like the used-to-be firehouse and the old Apothecary Shop building, currently Chinese restaurant, next to the post office, both in Lakeville.  

On June 27, Diane Sawyer had a segment about a Made in America store near Niagara Falls that people came from miles to shop at. Something like that might be interesting to have next door to the U.S.P.O.?

Robin O’Connor

Lakeville    

 

Why are fireworks illegal?

How come fireworks are illegal in Connecticut, yet a parent can go to a Walmart and buy a 22-caliber rifle and give it to their 8-year-old daughter to shoot at cans or whatever?

Fireworks are legal in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania , North Carolina, South Carolina and a lot of other states and most of Europe.

Why can’t Connecticut get it together and make fireworks legal?

Richard Griggs

Cornwall

 

 

Land of Goshen

Let’s sing a song to the town of Goshen,

Sitting high on a hilltop — not near the ocean.

Commerford Shows has winter quarters there,

With a star spangled horse that is pawing the air.

Wildlife Action is a place like a zoo,

A great spot to take your children to.

Nodine’s Smokehouse has its own store

With ham and bacon so good you’ll want some more.

Senator Andrew Roraback also lives in town,

A politician of great fame and reknown.

It’s got swimming and fishing at Tyler Lake,

And Mohawk Forest has hiking trails to take.

In September there’s always the Goshen Fair.

Anybody important is sure to be there,

To see all the county fair attractions;

Animals, tractors and woodchoppers in action.

They’ve got rabbits and goats and pigs that squeal,

Lots of carnival rides and a big Ferris Wheel.

More tasty food than you can possibly eat,

Plus some benches to sit on to rest your feet.

The traffic roundabout is sort of confusing.

Watching drivers pass through can be amusing.

So drop by this summer or at least next fall.

Goshen has things to do that are enjoyed by all.

 Corporal Doggerel (Carl Williams)

Lakeville
 

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