To the editor:
I attended Thursday’s Special Town Meeting in Great Barrington. When I searched for reporting on the event, I was surprised to read The Berkshire Edge headline “Great Barrington residents vote against acquiring Housatonic Water Works, Great Barrington Fire District at special town meeting.” That is a misleading headline.
Every person I know wants the town to acquire Housatonic Water Works. If someone had stood up at the meeting and said, “Should the town take control of the water company,” I am certain the room would have filled with resounding and unanimous shouts of “Yes!”
People did not vote against acquisition—they voted against the proposed plan. And, I think, with good reason. The plan was as follows: Purchase not one but two different types of entities, fold them somehow into one neat package, acquire them through negotiations already limited by not-to-exceed dollar amounts, and, down the line, benefit from the lower costs and better water that will be the result. People were confused by the motions, and nothing the presenters said made their plan seem more understandable or more viable. Voters rejected what came across as a far-fetched idea at best.
My heart goes out to the people of Housatonic who have been suffering with nightmarish water issues. We can all understand their anger and frustration. We all want a remedy. But this plan wasn’t it.
Maybe people could consider something that seems unfashionable these days: Trust and support the Selectboard members who were elected to navigate these complicated issues. From what I see, they really are hard at work on this. Keep the faith, offer your assistance, stay informed, raise the necessary questions, and please don’t champion rogue efforts that undercut all of us.
And to those in charge at The Berkshire Edge, allow me to offer what might have been a truer headline : “Great Barrington residents reject independent plan to solve water problems.” It captures the evening more accurately.
Maureen Meier
Great Barrington
Click here to read The Berkshire Edge’s policy for submitting Letters to the Editor.
