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Where is the Community?

The letter from Mr. David Kadamus [March 28, “Slow Down”] resonates with me. He points out that no one item of interest should be examined without determining if it has a material impact on others. The town government has recognized this need to coordinate and quantify.

The town 10-year strategic plan is nearing completion. Unfortunately, the public input session I attended had only a half dozen townsfolk participating. The latest Academy Committee has had better luck as 91 of Madison’s 18,000-plus residents attend the first public input session.

The Board of Finance, Board of Selectmen, and Board of Education (BOE) have a joint subcommittee examining the BOE proposal to repair and/or renovate its remaining school facilities. Its proposal would be included for voter approval (or not) in the annual budget referendum (which generally has 10- to 15-percent citizen participation).

Madison will have a difficult time becoming great as long as our basic fiscal philosophy/policy of build to budget rather than what Guilford does, budget to build. It would help town officials if the majority of public participation was not limited to special interest groups. The question I have is, where is the community in our community?

Gus Horvath

Madison