I am one of those who was mentioned in the article, “Bitter divide over conservation appointments,” July 11, and referred to in the editorial, “Bad Practice,” posted on the same date. Neither the reporter nor the editor contacted me prior to publication.
I have long been involved with conservation issues in town, from the formation of the Townsend Conservation Land Trust on which I still serve 25 years later, as a Girl Scout leader whose troop monitored Hawthorne Brook as part of the state’s Adopt-a-Stream program, and in the inaugural Earth Day celebration and many that followed, including the Earth Day walk, as well as other activities.
In January, I noticed on the town of Townsend website that there were three openings on the Conservation Commission. I have been asked to apply for openings on various town committees in the past, and my Wednesday evenings were now available. I inquired about the openings and subsequently attended meetings from February (canceled due to weather) to May. I was not “shooed right in” to supersede anyone’s prospective appointment.
I understand that service to the town, and to the people of the town, is not a responsibility to be taken lightly, and that appointment to a town committee is never a guarantee under any circumstance.
Veronica Kell
Townsend
