Wold: Rink User / BET Representation
Attending Wednesday’s meeting I was surprised by the few people attending and how little
was actually shared about the park, it was more like an update of how
successful the current program and use of the rink is (even if not yet open to
the general public).
To my
surprise we were introduced to a new member, despite not announced in the
agenda for the meeting and not a word from the First Selectman about the long-standing issue of his choice for Chair of the Committee, as his office has
issued a statement that Bill Drake since November 2023 does not represent the
BET.
As with any
municipality that carry out elections and appointments, the question came up
nearly a year ago when he no longer was elected to the BET, and at that time
the First Selectman as a ‘thank you for your service’ on the same BET issued a PROCLAMATION that designated December 12, 2023, as ‘Bill Drake
Day’. Yesterday happened to be what normally would have been the 2nd day
of what First Selectman has yearly ‘Proclaimed’ to be ‘Constitution Day’ in
Greenwich, but instead the ‘Constitution Day’ within the ‘Constitution Week’
Proclaimed by the US President, First Selectman did reject the idea of
proclaiming the idea and the agenda for the meeting did not mention a new
liaison member and no replacement for the Chair.
We are still
awaiting his announcement of the replacement of a liaison member from the BET. The
First Selectman’s office has confirmed that Bill Drake no longer represents the
BET, but they have been without representation on the Rink User Committee since
November 2023.
Ken Borsuk, who attended the meeting, informed when questioned, that an announcement would be made that afternoon, after the meeting?
I hope it
bring some clarity on this issue, as it is hard to find any record of ‘liaison
work’ towards the new BET and a vacuum has been left between BET and the
Rink Committee’s since election in November 2023 and today.
Yesterday’s
meeting and a month ago, the committee member present and DPW were talking
about getting additional funding from the BET/RTM early next year, on a project
I find hard to find any momentum to support beside the large member of
Greenwich Skating Club and their earnings via skating programs taking place at
a municipal owned and financed rink.
Reading the
Newsletter issued by Bill Drake in February 2024 (nearly 3 months after our
election had given us a new BET member) and not officially approved by the
Committee, I find this path, posted on the Town website, in vision and numbers,
does not correspond with DPW MI application actually submitted.
So please,
let us move forward with people and committees who represent and ‘liaison’ with
the people, hopefully based on elected representation, after all it is only a
democratic run Municipality that should ‘spends’ taxpayers' money, based on authorization.
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