A BIT OF CORRECTION RE: SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

Thanks to an email from the Eddington Town Manager, I want to clarify something I didn't understand from this past Tuesday's Selectmen's meeting re: the Special Town Meeting that's coming up.

September 29 at 6pm will be a Public Hearing (Town Office) which, I believe, will be to discuss the issues we will be asked to vote on at the Special Town Meeting which will be held October 6 (at 6pm). The location of the Special Town Meeting I'm not sure of - maybe the Eddington School since that's where they are usually held. But I'll get back to you about that. There's plenty of time.

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BUT - It is ALSO important for as many of you as possible to attend the School Board Meeting on Monday, September 28 at 6:30pm at the Holden School. That night's issue will be whether or NOT to give any school land to the Town of Holden. The more I look into this issue the more adamant I am that no land should be given or sold that is currently owned by the school district. Our schools are currently full and we may need the land for simple expansion. Aside from that, it has been the taxpayers from all three towns who have paid for the maintenance and improvements for all four pieces that the Town of Holden is trying to have turned over to it.

Within this past week I have learned it is school custodians at Holden School who maintain the Nature Walk trails by cutting down brush and overgrown tree branches and other work. It appears that Town of Holden Councilman Harvey was in error with his information to me that the trails are maintained by Holden volunteers. And who pays the salaries for the school custodians? The taxpayers from all three towns: Eddington, Clifton and Holden.

I have also been told that the School District had to pay the Town of Holden to BUY the land that is now in question. Why would we ever want to give that land to the Town of Holden? Let us remember when the school district entered into an agreement with the Town of Holden when it came to the lease for the property where the school district buses were originally kept and serviced which forced the district to move the location. Now the district is being accused of not negotiating in "good faith" because we simply required the Town of Holden to put their request/offer in writing. Having read the request/offer, this writer can not see any benefit to the school district although I can certainly see benefits to the Town of Holden. But I am an Eddington taxpayer. Who said Eddington or Clifton were obligated to accept the request or offer once it was put on paper? I don't recall anything like that ever being said.

The more the Town of Holden pushes, the more I question the motivation of the "deal."