Editor, The Smithfield Times:

In this area we are experiencing development that many do not want. But that’s another story. To counter that growth, we need green space, and a lot of it.

Waterworks Lake is such a place, yet our town officials want to destroy it to save money. One member of Town Council told me he could no longer see spending the million dollars that have been spent just since he was elected.

Funny thing, under the Freedom of Information Act I requested all expenditures on the dam as far back as the town tracked it. They only go back to 2007, but since 2007 we have only spent  $461,096.61 net. If our elected officials do not know the actual facts, how can we trust them to make the right decision? That is $30,739.77 a year. When looking at the budget, I see more money wasted in other areas that could pay for it.

I fished that lake with my father, and now with my son. We need to keep it as green space, not part of the concrete jungle we are headed to. I will not even mention how closing the road would affect residents and emergency services response.

Keep the dam, the road and a nice place for residents to get away from it all. But do not sit back and hope; let your officials know your concerns.

 

Jim Minton

Smithfield