Letter to the Editor: Bethelite Urges Residents to “Vote NO” on July 17th

Letter to the Editor: Bethelite Urges Residents to “Vote NO” on July 17th

Editor’s Note: The following Letter to the Editor was sent in from Christopher Brown, Bethel, CT. The opinions expressed in the Letters to the Editor column are the viewpoint of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Bethel Buzz or its editor.

On May 6, 2012 I was lucky and honored to participate in a unique fundraiser for the Bethel Public Library. The event was titled “Tau 2000,” named after the world record that was set by a 12-year-old 7th grader in Bethel Middle School. Ethan Brown recited over 2,000 digits of the Mathematical number “Tau” from memory. It took him 4 months to memorize it. In the process he raised over $3,000 for the Library Construction project that has been in the works for 9 years. Many in the community came together for a celebration that included contests, magic shows, and raffle prizes.This day meant even more to me because Ethan is my son. It was one of the proudest days of my life.

While this was an incredibly special event for my family, the money raised on that day is simply the tip of an enormous iceberg. The people of The Bethel Public Library have been working tirelessly for 9 years to raise enough money for a thorough and badly needed renovation project. They met the goals they set out to meet. They raised the necessary money. All the red tape has been taken care of. The figurative wrecking ball is ready to swing. Hold everything. Not so fast.

Behind the library sits an asbestos ridden building that is unusable and unsellable. It needs to be taken down. The library needs parking. The town owns the land and the building. Without the additional parking, the library project cannot proceed. There is no other space for parking. There is no other use for this building. At risk of oversimplifying, this is a “no brainer.”

The Board of Selectman voted unanimously to approve the razing of “Old Town Hall.” In response, a small group of residents decided to gather signatures to force a referendum to reconsider knocking it down. We now need to spend $8000 dollars of town money on a vote to decide whether to use this land to finish the library, or thwart the entire project in favor of keeping an unusable structure as a town eyesore.

Join me and many others on July 17th to VOTE “NO.”  Join us on our Facebook Page at:http://www.facebook.com/events/479362938759333/480116955350598/?notif_t=event_mall_comment

-Christopher Brown
Bethel Resident