With the swearing in of the new Town Council in Charlestown last week, I took the opportunity to review the accomplishments of those public servants who have moved on to other pursuits in life. The Town of Charlestown has been fortunate in that over the past 10 years the residents and taxpayers have enjoyed a well-run government.
Freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to cast your vote in a free and open election of government officials are some of the most important elements of the United States of America. This past November 3rd and the weeks leading up to it, the citizens of Charlestown cast their votes in record numbers to elect officials who would represent them for the next two years or more.
We are lucky to live in such a wonderful place that is well run and managed by people who truly care. I sadly discovered that this town is divided and have witnessed these ill feelings first hand with false political attacks, some directed at me. We need to put politics aside and put the future and well being of this town first.
Tonight is my last regular meeting as president of the Charlestown Town Council. I am so grateful to the people of Charlestown for your vote of confidence over the last 6 years and the opportunity to serve you with the best I had to offer. I hope you are even more engaged in town government in the future, including adoption of an updated Comprehensive Plan which will set the tone of our town for the next 10-20 years.
For my family, the most wonderful aspects of Charlestown are its dark skies, open space, rural charm and beautiful beaches. Over the past two terms, I have had the good fortune to work with the other Council members who were willing to give their time to the town. I challenge each newly elected Town Council member to think about what is best for the town overall and to value the attributes that make Charlestown special.
Candidates endorsed by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance have long championed protecting our irreplaceable natural and scenic resources because these are linked directly to our healthy tourist economy, our health, and our low tax rate. CCA candidates have called for responsible development and have opposed unfettered, willy-nilly residential and commercial developments that benefit developers and large corporations, not our residents and local businesses.
Ruth’s clear, strong voice emphasizes that the 2020 Charlestown election is an opportunity to maintain the rural character and low tax rate that residents cherish. Many have moved to Charlestown because of these two factors. Vote for Ruth Platner to preserve Charlestown’s rural character.
In 1979, a federal judge awarded a portion of the Naval base to the federal government for a wildlife refuge and then the remainder to the town of Charlestown for general open space purposes. The judge stated that the use of the 237 acres was not to be inconsistent with the use of the other 367 acres. This decision and the resulting victory on appeal was the death knell for the proposed nuclear plant and is a decision that has been honored over time by Charlestown officials.
Charlestown is one of the best-run, lowest-taxed, most-beautiful towns in the entire State of Rhode Island. Not only are their integrity and civility unassailable, CCA officials and candidates have demonstrated, time and time again, that they have Charlestown’s best interests at heart. After receiving a mailer that falsely attacks the integrity of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) elected officials, I write to set the record straight.
The bigger question is why did everyone on the commission vote for Ruth Platner as Chair? The answer is, she is incredibly dedicated to preserving Charlestown’s natural beauty, keeping low taxes, and balancing growth. No, she obviously does not singlehandedly halt trains ripping through the middle of Charlestown, nor box stores, but she is always there as a quiet, dedicated leader.
As our local elections near, elected Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) members of the Town Council, Planning Commission and others in Town Government should be proud of the civil, open, and well-run local government that has been achieved amid one of the most politically divisive times in our nation’s history and a global pandemic of tragic proportions. By contrast our opposition has based their campaign on attacking CCA with claims that are deceptive and completely false.
What I observed was a commitment of the Planning Commission and its chairwoman, Ruth Platner, to approved policy when reviewing applications from prospective business enterprises. These regulations not only preserve the character of Charlestown, but they also protect independent operators of locally owned small businesses from being swallowed up by big-box Goliaths.
David Wilkinson is running for re-election to the Charlestown Town Council. In his first term, he demonstrated his business savvy by getting to the heart of budget issues and was singularly instrumental in getting the tax rate reduced to its present level.
Bonnie Van Slyke is a hard-working, knowledgeable Charlestown Town Councilor running for reelection. We need the knowledge and access to the Town’s history that only Bonnie can bring to the Town Council.
Our Town Council went into immediate action alerting residents and lobbying state and federal officials. Through thousands of hours of combined effort they gained the support of over 100 international, national, state, and municipal organizations and thousands of residents statewide. Together we succeeded in removing the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” from the plan and the coalition the Council formed with those other organizations has put us in a much stronger position going forward.
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. 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.
Perhaps the most obvious and consequential of CCA’s platforms is its focus on protecting the environment, our wildlife, the forests and our water. The Planning Commission’s main purview is the human-built environment. We do not have unlimited powers over the rights and designs of land owners and property developers. We are limited to ensuring that developers follow Charlestown’s subdivision and commercial development regulations while conforming to the town’s Comprehensive Plan.
As chairman of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, I agree that stealing or moving political signs is wrong and should not be condoned. The sign ordinance is clear. CCA has not touched any of the CRU signs, has attempted to place our signs on private property, and has received permission from each property owner, and has complied with the sign size restrictions. Mr. Quillen’s implications in his letter to the editor last week are unwarranted.
All of the candidates endorsed by the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) share Bonnie Van Slyke’s passion for protecting the natural resources and beauty of Charlestown. For Bonnie, that passion is in her DNA.
If you have the time to review the list of people who signed petitions or wrote letters to the Federal Railroad Administration, you will find that there are CCA members and supporters’ names sprinkled liberally through the records, but not one (NOT ONE) member of CRU took the time to watch their neighbor’s back. NOT ONE! Check the list of CRU candidates against the record, NOT ONE! It’s comforting to know that CCA-supported officials will go to bat for their neighbors.
Planning in Charlestown is not, and should not be, a haphazard affair. The Commission is charged under state law with ensuring the orderly and environmentally sound growth of Charlestown.
Sheila’s career at the University of Connecticut has focused on keeping farmers economically viable and sustainable. Her experience with the many ways that farming strengthens rural character and economy while contributing to a sense of community would be a big asset on our Town Council.
There are things I love about social media. It has reunited me with childhood friends and allows limitless sharing of photographs, but it is really harming political discourse, especially in Charlestown.