To the Editor:
If anyone is interested, there are petitions around the town of Great Barrington, calling for the Selectboard to call a special town meeting to repeal the new water bottle ban that was passed at the annual town meeting May 7, 2018. I am the one who has started this petition.
I feel there are better ways to educate the public about recycling, but banning the sale of water bottles in the town is not one of them. You are telling people, “Come to our town, but you cannot buy water here.” You can, however, purchase those little nip bottles you see all along the sides of the roads, soda, sugary juices and flavored water.
Check your grocery cart and see how much is either encased in plastic or made of plastic. There are vending machines everywhere … Fairview Hospital, grocery stores, motels, various eateries … the list goes on. You are telling people they cannot buy water anymore.
The Little League field concession stand sells water as a fundraiser. The ban would force us to take our money elsewhere to purchase water. Well, that’s great for the other towns, but not for GB. Water drinking stations were proposed. Are you kidding? Who pays for that? Who does the upkeep? How can you guarantee they will be sanitary? What if, heaven forbid, something happens to our water supply? I am all for recycling but this is not the right way.
We were voted the best small town in America. Maybe, but you cannot buy water here. Not too friendly. Once I have collected enough signatures, I will present them to the town. If you are against this ban, please sign a petition and show up to the meeting. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at lkkeef@hotmail.com. Thank you for your support.
Laura Keefner
Great Barrington
