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Community Corner

Community Update


Dear Mr. Mazza:
 
I appreciate your response to my March 4 communication regarding the
propane issue. Thank you also for the introduction to Mr. Cafiero who is proving
a masterful diplomat in working with all sides in this dilemma. With all due
respect to "process", I believe that we as a group are beginning to understand
how the Town is failing to follow procedures.
 
I am submitting for your review, should you choose to pursue it, the
excellent slide presentation made by Jo Ann Maynard, an attorney and Intervenor
at the March 18 Wetlands Commission meeting. It is clearly evident that Attorney
Maynard is  capable of bringing clarity to the rules and regulations as they
apply to the Commission. It is also clear that the Sullivan Application has
failed to meet the requirements of those rules.
 
To reinforce this, it should be noted that in conversation with Kevin
MaGee, he asserted to Attorney Maynard that several of the issues addressed by
her observations have been periodically reviewed with additional Wetlands
requests for further reports and adjustments in the Sullivan application, which
has now been revised at least nine times since its initial filing--an
indisputable violation of the application process. Among other Sullivan failures
is the fact that abutting neighbors and Intervenors have been consistently
denied due process.
 
Commission chairman Scott Williams noted that the Town Hall South Handbook
is merely a "guideline". Perhaps so; but Willams appears to be choosing to
ignore the violations of the Wetlands codes. To the audience of more than two
hundred taxpayers, he makes it appear that he, at least, is provoking a way to
enable the Sullivan violations to be glossed over. This, I'm sure you'll agree,
is a dangerous approach to take in a matter so sensitive. It also did not help
William's case nor demeanor, that he publicly referred to the Intervenors'
segment of the meeting as a "speil". Correctly defined, a speil "is a speech
intended to persuade or influence, but regarded with skepticism or contempt by
those who hear it."
 
This comment was demeaning and unnecessary, and I'll fully anticipate that
Williams will apologize for his apparent disdain and disrespect for anyone
suggesting that the Wetlands Commission isn't doing its job. Mr. Williams needs
to understand that NONE of the two hundred and thirty citizens present at that
meeting wanted to be there. Nor do I believe that Williams' disparagement
applies to most of the other commission members--so he needn't sully their good
names with Sullivan. And he certainly has the option of resigning--which we
taxpayers do not. 
 
The bottom line here is that the Sullivan Application, filed as a
"Regulated Activity" should have at the very least been filed as a "Significant
Impact Activity" according to Guilford's wetlands codes. The nine revisions and
interceding requests by Wetlands clearly establish that there are numerous
wetlands issues needing to be addressed by the applicant. The rules make this
pretty clear--the application has been moved by wetland's requests into a
defacto "Significant Activity".
 
However, the real bottom line is that the Wetlands Commission has now been
offered significant and irrefutable procedural evidence to reject Sullivan's
proposal. They can and should STOP this insanity.
 
What is most dismaying, however, is that the bungling, bureaucracy and
mis-management of the Town P&Z is leading to the damaging and undesirable
attention displayed in the U-Tube link below. This video, launched only
yesterday, is making its way into all of Guilford. This is not good for
Guilford--and probably won't do Sullivan any good whatsoever.
 
Frankly Mr, Mazza, I'd hate to be in your shoes when the ladies garden club
gets hold of this. Have a good day.
 
Graeme Keeping
Moose Hill Road
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr0rNUmhhAs

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