Referendum on 1913? LTE from NCPA Board President

To the Editor:

I was very surprised to read your article in "Did You Hear..." concerning the Petition for a Referendum.

The use of [the terms] "preservationists" by you and "these people" by [Library Executive Director] Lisa Oldham implies that the New Canaan Preservation Alliance and its Friends of the
1913 Library Committee were involved in the initiation of this petition.

We were not.

I'm disappointed that you would have contacted Lisa Oldham, the NCL Executive Director, so her inference has been publicly stated, yet you didn't contact me, the NCPA Board President, to verify if this underlying innuendo was true.

It is not.

We continue to be supportive of the construction of a new library building. We are trying every avenue to preserve the historic 1913 library building which those people want to demolish. We continue to work towards having a library campus representing New Canaan's past and future.

In fairness I believe you should make it clear this is a new group of New Canaan taxpayers that has decided to oppose taxpayer dollars ($10m grant along with a $13m line of credit) going to a private organization.

Thanks,

Neele Stichnoth
NCPA, Board President