Bonnie Van Slyke: Opposing Views For The Future Of Charlestown

The following letter appeared in local newspapers and is shared with us here by the author Bonnie Van Slyke. Bonnie Van Slyke is a member of the Charlestown Town Council and a candidate for Town Council in the 2020 election.

---

The 2020 election in Charlestown boils down to two different visions for the town. The first vision would maintain the delicate balance between protecting our natural and scenic resources and providing reasonable, responsible growth—important because wise use of our resources is the reason for our low taxes, supports our tourism economy, and keeps Charlestown green and quiet.

The opposing vision for the town is to accelerate residential growth, encourage large businesses to come to Charlestown, and open up Ninigret Park for commercial gain.

Those who call for commercial growth have accused Charlestown Town Councils and Planning Commissions, past and present, of being antagonistic toward business. Yet, they have not identified what types of businesses are needed in Charlestown and why.

So what are these businesses that have been discriminated against? Voters do not want Big Box stores, like Dollar General, but they do want small businesses that fit the character of Charlestown. This preference has been expressed in long-range plans for over thirty years. Individuals endorsed by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) serving on Town Councils and Planning Commissions have supported new small businesses that are in character with our town, provide wanted services, and employ Charlestown residents.

Ninigret Park is another instance where commercialization is proposed. The public’s use of the park would be restricted so that the town could rent space, on the “55 acres,” all summer long for additional, new concerts and events that would allow out-of-town profiteers to turn large profits.

A concert venue that would have a capacity of up to 8,000 to 12,000 people is clearly the vision. Proposed in 2010 was the addition of 6 to 8 new events, or a total of 8 to 10 events each year. However, “problems” with the 2008 Master Plan—problems that appear to be that the 2008 plan is too expensive to implement and the venue shown is too small—were identified. Proposed in 2014 by the then-Parks and Recreation Commission was a concert venue that could accommodate up to 12,000 people, with associated parking for 3,500 cars and buses in Ninigret Park. A master plan is just a general guide was the refrain.

The real consequence of such an expansive, and very expensive undertaking for taxpayers, would be significantly more congestion and increased traffic throughout the entire town, a requirement for an added police presence that is already stretched thin during the summer, frequent increased noise levels and light pollution that would disrupt animal habitats in the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, and the diminished availability of the park for recreational use by residents and visitors.

The promise of candidates endorsed by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) is to maintain the delicate balance between protecting our natural and scenic resources and providing reasonable, responsible growth.

Your vote for the CCA-endorsed candidates is a vote for a future that assures what we have now will be what we will have in the future—with change coming in a reasonable, responsible manner.

 

 

 

You can learn more about Bonnie at her profile page.