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Library, Trees, Roosters, and Guns

I find Chester a very interesting place to live and would live nowhere else. Over the years I have moved away to find myself returning as soon as I can. You are free to raise roosters, shoot a gun, and not have your trees cut down (without due course), and if someone tries to change these things, there is a huge public outcry.

These things are important to some, but what's important to me and should be important to all is that our library is not able to serve every person. This coming year will be the 25th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Chester has failed to address this issue within our public library to conform to this act in the past 25 years! Where is the outcry? We now have the opportunity to address this with the recently acquired grant from the State of the Connecticut that will provide partial funding for a new library.

The current Chester Library does not address handicap accessibility. The Town of Chester does not own the property on which the current library stands, so investing in the current building is not a solution.

Of course there are many other valid reasons why the library needs updating and the need for a community center, but first and foremost the primary issue needs to be addressed. There is no longer the need for any discussion; it's a simple fact. Unfortunately this means that we as a community must provide the necessary remaining funding either through private donations or tax increases, but not doing anything is no longer an option. It is our social responsibility, and the time has come address it once and for all.

Dean AmatoChester