A recent Gazette guest column regrading the proposed Haydenville South Main Street shared-use path (SUP) was misleading. The writer criticized the project as unsafe, and forced upon the neighborhood by outsiders. In fact, the plan for the SUP has been a townwide public process under the auspices of the Select Board for over 12 years. The process considered every concern raised for safety, legality and the impacts on private property in consultation with engineers and town counsel.
While some people who oppose the project may consider the neighborhood their own, the road and sidewalks are town property, so their construction and maintenance is paid for and used by all town taxpayers. The entire town’s interest must prevail. And a majority of the town’s voters support the SUP design, the South Main Street sidewalks and roadbed are in disrepair. The S.U.P. plan, funded by some three million dollars in grants and state funding will provide the needed repairs and improvements. If this project doesn’t advance expeditiously, we may lose that funding. Although I write this as a private citizen, I am a member of the Town Finance Committee. I am horrified at the prospect of losing those funds. Our already strained town budget will be compromised in order to keep this infrastructure from further deterioration.
I urge the Select Board to schedule the required special Town Meeting without delay, and initiate construction of the South Main Street shared-use path design for the benefit of the entire town and surrounding region.
Jody Nishman
Haydenville