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Stall, Confuse, and Obstruct

In response to strong public opposition to the sale of Academy and high-density development in our historic district, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) established a plan to determine residents’ preferred path to referendum. The plan included solicitation of building-only proposals from private developers, a new citizens’ committee to formulate community options, and a professional polling firm to conduct a random sampling town-wide poll. The poll included four private development (“sell it”) and three community (“keep it”) options.

The results of both the phone poll and online survey were clear, with community center the one supported choice for referendum and more than 80 percent opposed to development of the ballfields. Following the poll, the BOS commissioned a new committee to firm up the community center design and cost estimates for the capital renovation and explore funding sources to reduce taxpayer burden. Tasks completed.

The BOS now has architectural plans for restoration of the school building into a municipal community center, a detailed budget from Colliers for the estimated $14 million cost, and reliable guidance on $2- to $4 million in potential savings from historic tax credits and other funding sources. We are now more than a year, $50,000, and hundreds of volunteer hours into the process established by the BOS to bring Academy to referendum. Efforts to stall, confuse, and obstruct a vote are poor governing and a waste of town resources. We are all entitled to a fair process.

Academy School is a town asset. The decision to spend taxpayer dollars to create a community center belongs to Madison voters.

Kathryn Hunter

Madison