While I applaud Spoon Agave's passion and appropriate highlighting of several important issues we must address, his choice to praise Kurt Daims as an exemplar, while well-intended, is misguided.
Communities are formed based on a set of expectations and constructs. Among those are respect for your neighbors, respect for the rules and regulations that govern the community, and respect for the behavioral tenets that define community membership. These unwritten guidelines keep communities functional and dynamic.
Mr. Daims's abject disregard for adhering to health and zoning regulations, his continued unwillingness to comply with multiple town ordinances and laws, and his increasingly aggressive behavior toward his neighbors have compromised the health and safety of those in proximity to his property and have engendered several legal disputes between him and the town of Brattleboro.
Mr. Daims openly admitted in a Development Review Board hearing that he reached out to Brattleboro officials and was informed what he needed to do to have additional dwellings (RVs) on his property. Rather than continue in a manner compliant with existing policy, Mr. Daims chose to proceed as a rogue operator, ignoring the protocols the town had stipulated. Unfortunately, he is now facing the consequences of his actions.
Mr. Agave's article speaks of the humanity involved in the placement of RVs on Mr. Daims's property. It is important to note that the RVs came under public scrutiny due to their defiance of public health and safety codes and because of Mr. Daims's refusal to operate within those regulations. This noncompliance with legal and humanitarian regulations completely supersedes the discussion of ethics regarding long-term solutions to the housing crisis.
Homelessness is a local, regional, and national issue that we all must acknowledge and work to rectify. The town of Brattleboro is actively working to address this very challenge through making conscientious strides in providing resources and building appropriate housing.
In contrast, Mr. Daims chose to not only ignore, but work in opposition to, these efforts by creating unregulated and unsafe spaces. His efforts also compromise the constructs that define the community where we reside.
As Brattleboro residents, we have an obligation to address these critical issues, but in a legal, respectful, and safe manner.
Tom Oxholm
Brattleboro
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.