Dear Editor:

It seems that our selectmen are slow learners. Just as they did with their golf course-traffic circle proposals in 2013, they are now proposing, without first getting input from the community, a major change in the village area. They propose to expand substantially the athletic and recreational facilities at Clifford Park. According to an article in the Boothbay Register (“Selectmen unveil proposal for Clifford Park redevelopment”) the selectmen are considering that the funding could come from a bond issue (that is, borrowed money) and thus far unrealized tax revenue. The Register website already has posted online a detailed plan of the changes to the park.

It seems to me that public servants should solicit public opinion before they formulate a proposal of this sort. They should ask their constituents a series of questions: Is Clifford Park satisfactory as it is? If not, what changes do you think are desirable? How much of an investment do you think the town should make in paying for this? Should the town borrow money? How much? What payback will there be for the town if the facilities are expanded? Is there enough interest in baseball among the young residents of the town to warrant increasing from one to three fields? Is it likely, as the chairman believes, that additional fields and facilities will bring more tourists and Little League baseball tournaments to this community? Will there be adequate parking? What effect will the additional traffic have on the village center traffic patterns?

The selectmen have had the Knickerbocker Group already draw up plans for these changes. Shouldn't the first step be to solicit public opinion by mail, email and open meeting, to be followed by a public discussion of whether or not the town thinks this is a good idea? The comment of the town manager that he welcomes more traffic and of the chairman that it is a win-win proposal does not increase the confidence I have in their judgment.

Fred Kaplan

Boothbay