LETTER: Time for a Leadership Change in Enfield

Election Day is coming. It’s time to decide what kind of leadership we want for our town. A hot topic right now is the $90,000,000 referendum for JFK. That’s a lot of money to ask from the town and state.No one can claim that repairs are not needed. We have PCBs coming out of the windows, the ground close to it, and most likely in the athletic fields.

For many years we have had Republican leadership on our council and Board of Ed. During that tenure, JFK, along with every single structure in our town has suffered from a total lack of planning, simple maintenance, and repairs. They have been, and continue to be, ignored, while the Republicans shout out loud – no new taxes. We care too much about our people to burden them with taxes. While some may appreciate this reprieve, others who appreciate reality know that you can’t fail to take care of small maintenance issues without having them become major issues.

This is where we are now. At least one year ago, a committee was formed to discuss how to deal with this one hundred million dollar problem. And over the past year it continues to be discussed, with no action taken.

Who wants to be the person, especially in an election year to stand up and tell the taxpayers that due to our policy of refusing to recognize the maintenance needs on all our buildings, while pronouncing themselves heroes for little to no tax increase, we now need at least one hundred million dollars to be fire and safety compliant, and to keep them from literally falling apart. Apparently, no one wants that honor, so they hide their heads in the sand.

Last year the Republicans decided behind doors, behind the backs of Democrats, and against all reason, to close Nathan Hale. Over 1,000 residents petitioned against this. Over 50 people held a rally against this. Over 200 speakers spoke at board and council meetings against this. The amount of supposed savings changed weekly, sometimes twice a week. Trying to get an honest answer from any Republican on the council and board was virtually impossible. They have yet to prove with any kind of truthful accounting that there was indeed any saving by closing this school.

So, Republicans voted to close this school with little to no concrete answers on dollar amounts saved or incurred. Five Republican board members, ignoring over 1,000 petition signers, 50 rallying residents, two hundred speakers, and all Democrat board members. And the day after this vote by five Republicans, one of them was rewarded for following the leader with a seat at the big table, the town council.

Around this time, Tom Sirard, chair of the BOE was publicly criticized for his Facebook posts which were malicious, racist and bigoted and completely disgusting. After an uncomfortable silence with demands to step down and resign, he “apologized” in a prepared statement and for following the leader, he was awarded the honor of Republican of the Year. Disgusting!!

Right now there is a sitting member on the council running for election who needs some quick help on how to make their Facebook page private. I believe and hope that this person is unaware that all their posts to some very adult sites are public and countless people have viewed these along with their comments. Please someone help this person. It doesn’t seem appropriate to keep this public. Go private and do and say whatever you want.

So vote on Election Day! I’m voting for the Democrats. I’m voting for intelligent, committed, honest and caring people with the qualities and leadership abilities that have been missing way too long.

I know these people. I am convinced they will be the leadership desperately needed to get us back on the right track and allow us to start moving forward. It won't be easy to take care of everything that has been neglected for way too long. The one hundred million dollar problem is not going away on its own.

I’m confident that if you meet and speak with these Democrats, you will agree that this is our best way to move forward with careful and responsible planning and implementation of new and innovative ideas.

Judy Kilty
Enfield

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