To the Editor:
Amen and hats off to our first selectman Bill Brennan for finally setting the record straight in a strong factual manner with Sensible Wilton. It is about time that someone cleared the record again on the facts of this renovation and about what these “well intended” people are doing to our town. Bill has pointed out both the flaws and dangers in their continuing efforts to thwart the Miller-Driscoll renovation.
In Bill’s OP ED letter (March 26), he spells out specifically both the needs of the project and the implications of not moving forward. He points out the distractions and undermining of the Town’s responsibilities and the technical inaccuracies being disseminated. He enumerates a dozen specific and vital improvements needed for the school structure. He defines the operational efficiencies necessary to accomplish the construction. And he explains the contractual damages and legal issues related to a delay in moving forward. This is our town executive leader talking. Bill’s explanation of damage is further contained in Wilton town counsel Ken Bernhard’s expressed worry that any petition that could revoke the town’s ability to construct a new school would cause “legal chaos.” Our legal counselor wrote, “The petitioners are naively underestimating the legal chaos and substantial expense that would ensue if the town were to renege on its commitments to the issued bonds and signed contracts.”
Living for 45 years here in Wilton, we have watched concerned and dedicated people volunteer and be elected to Education, Finance, Selectman [Boards] and other positions of governmental responsibility. They, like the Miller-Driscoll team, have worked tirelessly to build this town into the family welcoming location that it is. Make no mistake, Sensible Wilton with their many literary banners, constant petitions, etc. is damaging this community causing dissention and polarization. They are demonstrating disruptive tactics and fostering potentially costly results to further their cause.
For example, most recently Sensible Wilton has focused on enrollment figures over the next few years (and even as to that, it has blown them way out of proportion) without acknowledging that this rebuild is designed to last for a half-century during which enrollment will go through cycles for sure. But all of us who think seriously about it, know that over that length of time it is imprudent not to plan for building size based on past enrollment experiences here in Wilton. That is what this build plan does, among many other important things, for the well-being of our children and for maximum operating cost savings, both short and long-term. Sensible Wilton’s criticisms show no understanding and little appreciation for these factors. In reality, this is our chance to get it right for both the short and long term, and that is what the creative and dedicated folks who worked so hard in planning this rebuild have done.
Some of our best citizens have worked on this proposal for a long time and the people we have selected to manage and lead our town have universally approved and endorsed the plan. We put these people in place to plan for and guide our town’s progress. I have known more than a few of them over a period of more than four decades, and I have been witness to their not just competent but truly outstanding management of our growth. Now, universally, they have approved and recommended this project and I ask again for their support, endorsement, encouragement and thanks.
I respectfully urge everyone to read here carefully and to pass this message along to any friends and neighbors who share a conscience for our community. The time is now to speak up and support our elected officials and volunteers who have served us all so well. More of us should be taking pen to paper or fingers to keyboards to express our positive endorsements.
I believe that we are fortunate to live in Wilton: a town steeped in positive history, controlled growth, superior education systems and facilities, all of which make for a highly desirable, long-term family destination. As defined above, I believe that Sensible Wilton has already and is continuing to damage our town with false and frivolous contentions, public actions and with literary “grenade throwing” that is trying to undermine a fair, honest and decisive vote. I am saddened to see this happen and I do hope that my fellow residents who admire our town as I do, will be of a common belief and action.
Ray Moskow
Thank you, Ray, for your eloquent letter. I couldn’t agree more. And, thank you for acknowledging the hard work our leaders have done to get us this far in the process. Many hours of work have gone into this plan and we need, as a community, to trust our elected officials.
I voted Yes for this renovation even though I had and have serious concerns about the construction disruption on our children and the need for a special needs preschool expansion. I also don’t want our children going to school in a lockdown facility and am concerned the design is a response to the Newtown tragedy. Many residents have valid concerns regarding this project but the tactics used by Sensible Wilton are disruptive. At this point, we need to band together and work closely for a successful renovation for our community.
While I think a lot of volunteers worked very hard on this, it probably contains a lot of “extras” or “nice to haves” we don’t really need. But it is time to move on; this challenge process is only disruptive at this point. And all letter writers engage in a bit of exaggeration. To say the vote was “decisive” was hilarious. For all intents and purposes the original vote was 50/50. That ain’t decisive, my friend. Just as with the RIDICULOUS security kiosk at the HS, I am sure this plan contains similar things that were a knee jerk reaction to Newtown. Our leaders sure do know how to spend our money on being PC.
Well said Ray. Sensible Wilton has conveniently jumped from one baseless argument to the next as each has disintegrated under the lens of fact and due process. It is time for them to step aside: Wilton is moving forward with what was decided in the vote. Dixon Downey
Ray, I certainly appreciate your thoughtful letter but I’m still very much troubled by the fact that the State Elections Enforcement Commission has found it necessary to investigate the ill advised actions of our town leaders prior to the vote. People we know and trust should never have put the town’s reputation in jeopardy no matter how strongly they believed in their convictions regarding the need for a new school.
from a highly respected Wilton resident…
“Yes, we need some renovation at the school. But, fifty million seems outsized for the project. And yes, the irregularities and procedural errors, if not illegal, are an embarrassment to the Town’s ability to manage its important affairs. It’s willingness to inform the public and communicate real facts borders on the dysfunctional. But the real reason I have come to sign this paper and send a message to our officials is that we have had for far too long a history of arrogance, aloofness, and lack of interest in what taxpayers have to say. They don’t ask what we want or think, and certainly aren’t interested when we do try to speak. The Miller-Driscoll affair is simply the latest example of this continuing abuse. So now we want it to end.”
Please list below the credentials you posses that allow and enable you to evaluate and critique our volunteer and elected Town officials as arrogant, aloof and lacking interest.
What office(s) have you held? What have you run for? Where have you volunteered? Where have you served? What have you done to constructively contribute to your community? What allows you to stand in judgement?
Hi Ray, I’ll ask that person who made the comment. But if you ask me, we have a big problem in Wilton government. My credentials are only that I am a tax paying citizen of this town. I would have to agree that our Town officials are arrogant, aloof, and lacking interest in ethics. I did run for Deputy chief Squire for the KofC and won…I also picked the rangers to win the 1994 Stanley Cup in november 1993…you can ask my wife for verification…
Ray’s letter is spot on. Bright people studied the situation for years. They made their recommendations. Those recommendations were unanimously approved by the 3 Town Boards of consequence. A Townwide vote was called for and taken. And one side had more votes than the other, Democracy in action. Everything else is just poor sportsmanship and noise by the losing side and a bunch of their friends who didn’t care enough to weigh in and vote when their oppinion and vote mattered ! Being uninformed or claiming they “did not know” is shocking and THEY should be embarrassed ! Ignorance is a choice but not a defense in this case. It is time for the “Senseless Wilton” Crowd to stop wasting the Town’s money, energy and patience !! A Heartfield apology to alll the people they have demigogged and the honor and character of hard working volunteers that have been besmirched and slandered is owed and now overdue. The only thing I want to hear going forward from Senseless Wilton is an apology !!
Typical arrogant statement made by a very arrogant person. You are the type of person we teach our kids not to be.
Wilton413: Thank you.
Have searched your entry for any arrogance either in tone or substance but find none.
Do find some significant ignorance in the commentary that immediately follows it.