To the Editor:
The founding principle of our nation, that public involvement is encouraged and vital to the lifeblood of our Constitutional Republic. That all have a voice and that numbers matter.
The recent decision by the Town of Warwick Planning Board to approve the secular men’s school on Old Forge Road in the Sterling Forest section of our town has shown this principle to be a sham.
Despite hundreds of letters, emails, and an ever present large public involvement at EVERY meeting and workshop all speaking against this and in favor of preserving the sanctity of the last unspoiled forest area in our town, none of this seemed to matter to the Board.
What about the multitude of people whose lives will be forever altered by this project? We have Purchase of Development Rights to protect farms, but who protects the forest? The board said it collected and analyzed pertinent data. Data is a quirky thing; You can gather it, show it to a dozen people, and get a dozen interpretations.
This is NOT about who - but what and where this project is being considered that is the matter at hand. I am truly dismayed by the fact that hundreds of residents got involved, showed up, spoke up and were ignored. So, what is to become of the democratic process here in our town? If one LLC can override the opinions and concerns of the multitude through the Town government, what do we pay taxes for?
Jim Mehling
Warwick