The town voters clearly voted this project down twice, only to have a
minority push until they achieved what was in their special interest.
Despite the cost, moral abandonment between what is right and wrong and
what can easily be perceived as flat out corruption. I am not pointing a
finger at anyone in particular, but when I look at the waterline
itself, it is like a big finger.
Who were the "independent" appraiser's that determined the value of land
containing an aquifer full of crystal clear gold? I wonder if it were
their land what the value would have been? I wonder if they had ever
appraised a piece of land with such a resource on it? What made them
qualified?
How does one claim ownership of a property that the current landowners
have preserved for decades as some of - if not the most - well-preserved
land in the town of Waitsfield through a process of "condemnation"? One
that contains a resource so pure and clean it would be the envy of most
any community on earth.
I know the town and Virginia Houston had their issues, and in the end,
blame could surely rest on both sides for not creating a win-win
situation if shortsightedness had not clouded the road to common good.
So now we have two property owners being affected, the second of which,
according to my research, the town started negotiating with, and
suddenly without explanation ceased communication and started the
process of "condemnation." I don't recall reading about this in
<MI>The Valley Reporter<D>, but it doesn't take much
research to find people who knew about the closed-door politics involved
in this one.
In the end (or at least the present moment), we have a pipeline to
nowhere. I am sure it will eventually dip its extractor into the pool of
clear gold to feed those whom will benefit most, but I ask the powers
to be to consider what is truly in the best interest of the town and its
citizens. Is having enough water to build the town into a metropolis
what is best? Or the loss of confidence, respect and trust of the
townspeople in the actions of it leaders. Not to mention the financial
bumbling.
In the world I grew up in, to declare ownership of this property through
the process of condemnation is stealing, and there is no gray area
about it. Those that were involved in getting us to this point share
equal blame and should be ashamed of themselves. I encourage all
involved to act responsibly and in the best interest of all moving
forward, so this pipeline doesn't wind up like the volumes of useless
studies the town has commissioned over the years that do nothing more
than gather dust in the town offices, or the foolish lawsuits this town
has fought against its own citizens. I have spoken with dozens of people
in town that will in no way benefit from this project, yet fully expect
to eventually foot the bill for the project they rejected.
Get it together and take responsibility.
Chris Pierson lives in Waitsfield.
