KOG Founder Responds to Accusations, Calls Them False

Editor's Note: Janis Hardy, the person mentioned in this blog, is a petitioning candidate for the Oxford Planning & Zoning Commission. Tanya Carver, the author of this blog, is a Republican candidate for the Oxford Planning & Zoning Commission.

As a co-founder of  Keep Oxford Green (KOG), I am writing in response to Janis Hardy’s false accusations against KOG.

We formed KOG in August 2009, because only a few Oxford Officials were working on creating High Density Housing. We were told in February 2009 by the Oxford Economic Director Herman Schuler that 500 to 600 Low Income High Density Housing units were going into the Rock Quarry - not our words, his words. We were told by certain members of P&Z that the residents wanted High Density Housing.

Janis, you may recall that Ed Carver formed two PACs to inform Oxford Residents for the need of a high school. CREIO (Citizens For Responsible Education In Oxford) when Kathy Johnson was First Selectman. The second PAC, when Ed was Chairman of the very successful bi-partisan PAC,  Pro Oxford High School, which united members of both parties, Republican & Democratic. This group was formed to educate the residents on the moral and fiscal reasons to build a high school. The high school referendum passed.

When Ed and I started informing Oxford Residents in 2009 about the intensions for High Density Housing, the administration at the time stated that we were lying and there was no proposed, no intension, no plan for High Density Housing. The proposed IHZ is exactly where we reported. Now commenters like Janis are trying to make this look like a political issue; sure does sound like MADR/McKane all over again. Oh that’s right, MADR and McKane appointed you (2-1 vote)…. Surprise!     Currently, you are not an elected member of the P&Z Commission; therefore, you currently do not represent the voters of Oxford and what’s best for Oxford. Your appointment was not unanimous by the BOS, you represent MADR/McKane’s goals. Your comments this past Sunday on the Patch show the true reason why you are on P&Z and I quote:  “I decided to start my crusade: not FOR affordable housing, per se, but AGAINST the lies being spread by KOG!”....“I am strong enough to stand up to KOG’s lies and fight against their single-issue candidates being elected." You have admitted to being predetermined and being a one issue candidate like you accuse others to be. KOG has not supported any candidates yet, there has been a Republican and a Democratic Caucus,  there’s no KOG Caucus.   

Janis, you, like Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers did earlier this year, falsely accuse KOG as being responsible for the Garden Homes Trailer Park Lawsuit; I will quote my husband’s response to MADR (1/14/2011) as it's appropriate to you, “As I recall, neither KOG nor the Carver’s were involved with the Garden Homes Trailer Park Suit.  When I was brought up, I was taught that it is wrong to purposely make misleading statements and it is rude to call someone a liar just because you disagree with what they have to say.”  It’s like “Déjà vu” with you. As I have said it before,  “When did the Town of Oxford become a Dictatorship?" You and MADR/Calabrese/McKane are in favor of High Density Housing, I do not have a problem with you expressing your opinion. This is America, you, we, have a right to express our opinion. I do have a problem when you and  MADR/McKane start calling me and other residents liars for expressing our opinions and the facts as we find them, just because we don’t agree with you. If you would like to think of yourself  as a leader … a former Oxford Resident and a friend said to us, there are two types of leaders: “There are those leaders that push other people up the ladder and eventually, they help pull him/her up the ladder and everyone succeeds; then there’s the second type of leaders who push people down the ladder, by stepping down on them, so they can move up the ladder so only a very few move to the top." You have publicly tried to discredit two ELECTED P&Z Commissioners, one being the Vice-Chairman, and made a point to gain favor with the residents by making it known that they should vote for you. You seem to be the only one campaigning and finger pointing.

Janis, if you have a problem with the postcard that we sent out the fall of 2009, GET OVER IT! The post card is a dramatization and appropriate for that time; it still might be appropriate. I don’t recall seeing you at the June 18, 2009, Special Meeting Workshop. No housing project that I am aware of started out as a run down High Density Project, but I am aware of many that became run down. Besides that potential problem, THE GENERAL OXFORD POPULATION DOES NOT WANT THEM. Twice (1989 & 2005) the Oxford Plan of Development Survey stated that of the public opinion, a majority, 84 percent wanted Oxford to retain its rural character and 76 percent wanted residential development to be single family. Data is found on the Oxford’s 2007 Plan of Conservation & Development, are you just conveniently ignoring it?

In regards to your comments about doing my homework, let me give a little background about myself. I am a Senior Economic Analyst for a Fortune 500 Company for over 26 years. I manage Sales Reporting on a daily basis for the entire USA Sales Force of 1,000 reps with an annual sales quota of ½ billion. Accuracy is a must, not an option.

You mention, you have spent the last three weeks on researching the IHZ and regulations. I have been researching this for the past two years. You lack being part of the history for the past two years of which I have been heavily involved. If you believe you are so well informed, then why didn’t you discover and report, like I did, that the State has a freeze an approving a Letter of Eligibility from municipalities who want to adopt an IHZ. Recently the Valley Independent Sentinel confirmed my findings.   

Several P&Z Commissioners are in favor of an IHZ because they say, it helps protect the town against an 8-30g application on a State Approved IHZ leaving the burden of proof to the developer in the other areas of town. With the State currently not approving an IHZ so now...

We are stuck with High Density Housing Zone instead of Single Family Homes

• No protection from the State
• The majority of Oxford Residents do not want it
• The burden still falls on P&Z
• To date, everytime someone threatens a law suit, P&Z rolls over.