I called the Alton Planners office today and was told the joint Public Hearings with the Planning Board and ZBA would indeed run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, June 20th, as published in "The Baysider". What they aren't telling anyone is the
meeting is to be held at the Prospect Mtn. High School. I only found out because someone (I think her name was Sharon, but I'm not sure) was nice enough to add that piece of information as an afterthought when I called.
I had to go into the Town Hall on other business today and saw nothing notifying the public of the change in location. One would think that an issue raising this kind of discussion in the town would at least warrant a notice on the entry door! I don't understand this kind of manipulation of the public and I don't understand why the hearings are being limited to the 7:15 p.m. ending time.
If these board meetings run
as usual, they will use up the first hour motioning this and seconding that and then checking with each other to make sure they did it. It's highly unlikely the public will get to say much of anything. Sorry to seem so negative, but that is what I have observed. It is very aggravating!
I see no reason to limit the ability of the townspeople to speak their minds on this issue, regardless of whether they are for or against it. After attending the last ZBA meeting, where we were told we would be able to speak and yet were not allowed to, I hold out little hope for many of us being allowed to be heard at this one, but I figured I'd try to get the word out about the location change anyway!
