ARTICLE 19

As the March 14 Salem, NH ballot approaches, I want to encourage Salem residents to support Article 19, a Citizens Petition, which asks the town to retain and designate as conservation land three wooded town lots on Emery Road. These lots are the last parcels of pervious land just outside the 250 foot shore line protection buffer of Canobie Lake in the heavily developed neighborhood of Lake Shore and South Shore Roads. At their December meeting, the Conservation Commission voted 6-1 to "not sell" these lots. This is a timely Article as Salem faces serious concerns about the water level and water quality of its primary water source, Canobie Lake. Preserving these lots prevents potential contamination of the lake as a result of storm water run-off through Policy Brook which feeds into the lake. Furthermore, development continues to spiral in our town during a time when we have almost reached our current maximum water usage. I hope that the voters will make a statement by voting YES on Article 19; for the small amount of revenue generated by selling and developing these parcels, we may pay long term consequences in water quality and usage. We cannot protect what has already been lost. Let us be good ecological stewards of our town by protecting our water, conserving our green space and preserving the character of our neighborhoods. Please support Article 19 on March 14. Rhonda McCune