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Credit Where Due

Several recent letters to the editor have credited our first selectman, Tom Banisch, with accomplishments during his tenure that really should be attributed to others. Let’s set the record straight, and give credit where credit is due.

As a reminder, there are five votes on the Board of Selectmen (BOS); the first selectman’s vote is just one of them. Most items require three votes for approval; new ordinances require four votes.

A number of new improvements and committees were conceived by dedicated Madison residents volunteering their time. For example, the implementation of energy efficiency and sustainable measures throughout town resulted from the advocacy of Woodie Weiss, chair of our Energy & Efficiency Committee, who convinced the BOS that these measures would save the town money in the long run, and this committee has been active for 12 years.

Creation of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee was the culmination of many months of study and polling by a dedicated resident group, led by Ellen Weiss. And the Coastal Resiliency Committee was advocated for by Dave Anderson, our director of planning and economic development, and resident Joe MacDougald, director of applied research at the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation.

In addition, the senior tax freeze was the end result of many years of Democratic elected officials fighting to provide senior tax relief. The sharing of operations and purchasing with other neighboring towns has also been promoted by town Democrats for many years.

The fact that something was accomplished during a first selectman’s tenure does not necessarily mean that he or she came up with the idea or deserves credit for its approval or implementation. Madison is very fortunate to have many dedicated volunteers of both parties who work tirelessly to make our town a better place.

Paul Kessinger

Madison