BELLOWS FALLS — I am writing in response to Whit Blauvelt's letter “ZBA stretched state criteria [Voices, Jan. 4]. I don't want to get into the usual he said/she said back-and-forth that Whit so enjoys. However, I was at the meeting he was referring to and he was not.
I am not disgusted with people poorer than I.
I am disgusted with people who do not give these people proper care and attention, but merely a seasonal stop-gap handout, instead of a hand up.
I would like to see them “off the street,” it is true - off the street and onto a path of health, clean living, success, permanent housing, and much more. But that takes a lot of work and commitment, a lot more than Greater Falls Warming Shelter (GFWS) is willing to make.
Blauvelt is, of course, also wrong about the recusal.
I was the one who asked for the recusal. It had absolutely nothing to do with something the board member said before a meeting. It had to do with something she said during a meeting. It had to do with her saying that she personally didn't see why the hearings had to continue and that she personally thought she had enough information without gathering any more.
That led me, and eventually the board, to believe that she had entered the hearings with a presumption of a decision prior to gathering evidence. That is a reason for recusal under state statute. She obviously agreed, for she did not attempt to argue and very politely removed herself.
Once again, Blauvelt has false information, presents it with anger and resolve that he is correct and everyone else is wrong and evil, and wants someone to argue with him so he can spout off about things that he dislikes - which is just about everything.
The board voted! I believe that is called democracy. It could have gone either way. The homeless have other options. GFWS has and had other options, but instead of trying to find alternative locations, they are spending their (our) money fighting the decision, which will probably take the remainder of the winter. That is not a good decision for the homeless.
Rockingham's emergency officer, Ann DiBernardo, was appointed by the Selectboard and is mandated by the state to house and feed any resident of Rockingham who is in need. She has not done her job at all this year.
There is money in the town's budget, and in the state budget, to reimburse the town for whatever we spend for all homeless people, including transients.
For some reason, this is not something she feels like doing. Why?
Should someone, God forbid, fall prey to the elements, or to the poor decisions of the GFWS and the lack of responsibility of the Rockingham Service Officer/Selectboard, I do not want Whit Blauvelt or any other person with incorrect information to search around and point their foolish fingers in the wrong direction.
The group that opposed the location of the GFWS never once said they opposed housing the homeless. They only said that they felt this type of shelter was inadequate, enabling to homeless addicts, alcoholics, and terminally transients, and was poorly planned, poorly executed, and poorly partnered with the adjacent neighborhood.
We approached the GFWS board several times to work together to find a more appropriate location, but we were never contacted.
How much easier it is to just point those fingers and spread those dirty little false rumors than to actually just work together.