Dear Editor:

The Planning Board meeting of Nov. 11, broadcast online, was a travesty of local governance. In spite of the best efforts of the chairman, and a few on the board, some members with personal opinions and obvious confusion dismembered the proposal for the east side of the harbor: A proposal hammered out over six months of public work by professionals and volunteers, also recorded online, that welcomed public input.

Opinions are indeed strong on this matter. Detractors on the boards, and a few in the audience, have lobbied major newspapers, outside town organizations, and summer well wishers to advocate their position. Their efforts have intimidated the town into self-doubt including fear of elusory “lawsuits” even while our own town lawyers and the DEP see no conflict. Last night’s (Nov. 11) meeting was the latest example of how such a strategy works to deny the voters an honest question and undermine democracy by other means.

By removing a critical piece of the proposal – agreement to accept the DEP’s own 35-foot height standards – a point negotiated in good faith in return for the most aggressive view corridors in the state – detractors of voter-choice prevailed. What will now advance to the selectmen is nothing more than flotsam – and detractors know this. As do some members of the select board that have watched this play out, were in the audience and made no comment.

Incredibly, all this has transpired with no voice from the 1,735 registered voters in Boothbay Harbor. Many, of them, busy working, do not understand why the debate has been made unnecessarily complex and “divisive.” Well let’s be clear, it isn’t necessary; it’s a tactic.

Voters should be appalled by these shenanigans. All playing out in one room and two boards (Planning and Selectmen) while the school budget, the footbridge and other serious challenges wait outside the door. Did any of these detractors even listen to the latest school board meeting?

The only body with a mandate to fix this is the voters – and one way or another they had better be heard before the bills come due.

Tom Myette

Boothbay Harbor taxpayer