BRATTLEBORO — I am resigning from the Hayes Court Conversion Project implementation team, without prejudice toward the project itself.
The recent decision by the Brattleboro Housing Authority (BHA) to take down all of the buildings at Hayes Court in order to build the Enhanced Living Facility was announced to the residents before the implementation team had heard of it.
It is a major change and will have a substantial impact. There are pluses and minuses, with the major upside, in my opinion, being the creation of a new, affordable, and very much needed enhanced-living facility for seniors and people with disabilities. In my view, the major downside is the dislocation of all current residents from their homes and from the immediate Hayes Court community.
The specific reason that I am resigning centers on my role as president of the West Brattleboro Association. Our organization tries to listen to all viewpoints in our village, and to not take sides that will unnecessarily divide our community.
Along with the Hayes Court residents themselves, other people in West Brattleboro have questions and concerns about this project. It would be very difficult for me to remain even-handed if I were to remain part of the implementation team.
The West Brattleboro Association would like to host an informational session on the Hayes Court project if the Housing Authority wishes to take advantage of the offer. It is my sincere hope that the Hayes Court residents, the Brattleboro Housing Authority, and the general community keep an open mind about the overall long-term human benefits and human costs of this proposed project.