Letters to the Editor

An open letter

to the BOS

To the Board of Selectmen:

I'm curious if our town has a long-range plan for developing public facilities and transportation? A posting at Talmadge Hill Station this week (www.nclongrangeplanning.com/ and www.nclongrangeplanning.com/uploads/4/1/7/3/4173491/nov_22_presentation.pdf ) showed me that our neighbors in New Canaan are going about their development the right way -- by looking at the big picture, organizing all the issues and options and developing a plan before spending on individual projects (they even have a pedestrian circulation map).

Recent discussion and projects for affordable housing, police station upgrades, beach upgrades and senior center requirements here in Darien all seem to have come about in a very reactive way. It would be nice if we'd enlist the help of professional urban planners and designers to put together a road map we could follow that would ensure that we attack all needed and desired projects in the most efficient and affordable way possible.

Holly Schulz, RA, LEED AP

Darien

Bipartisan votes

can happen

To the Editor:

This past Saturday, Dave Campbell, Jerry Nielsen and David Bayne all voted to reduce the assessments of two of the country clubs in Darien. Not only did the BOS save the town hundreds of thousands of dollars by not going to court, they were able to get an historic long-term agreement that will benefit the town for many years to come.

The clubs promised to retain their recreational space for the next 30 years and agreed to give the Town of Darien first right of refusal to buy club properties for the next 40 years. These agreements not only insure the clubs will maintain their open, recreational space but will give the town the opportunity to preserve open space, through potential land acquisition, should the clubs desire to sell any portion of their properties.

The revaluation took place under the prior administration. From a taxpayers perspective, more questions need to be asked about the 2008 re-evaluation process and assumptions.

The good news is the current BOS was able to work together and get the best possible outcome for the town.

Susan Marks

Darien

Support Kolenberg

for State Senate

To the Editor:

We have an opportunity in the Feb. 22 special election for the 27th State Senate seat to elect a candidate to ensure Darien's voice will be heard in Hartford. This election is important for many reasons, not the least of which is that too many years of irresponsible tax and spend policies by the Democrat-controlled legislature have left the State of Connecticut flat broke.

We have had too many people appear pleasant and sympathetic to the plight of the beleaguered taxpayer down here, and then go right up the road to vote straight down the Democratic Party line on every spending initiative proposed in Hartford. The bill is now coming due, and towns like Darien are hugely vulnerable to the continuing unfunded mandates and resulting tax increases on the local taxpayer. We've had enough of that kind of representation.

It is why I am asking that you vote for Bob Kolenberg on Feb. 22. In addition to being pleasant and sympathetic, he is not afraid to stand up to special interests, attack wasteful spending and look out for all the citizens of Darien and Stamford. A businessman with strong values and spirit of public service, his voice will be the same in Hartford as it is in Darien -- that we must make common sense decisions for every tax dollar they have the privilege to collect.

Harry Artinian

Darien