The Meadows Sham Continues
On June 15th the Gilford Planning Board held an informational meeting regarding the School district’s plans to develop an athletic field complex on the land known as the Meadows which is located behind Sawyer’s Dairy Bar. The Meadows Committee, appointed by the Gilford School Board, presented their lofty plans and made a couple of interesting promises to several concerned residents in attendance. They agreed to provide a study on the need for more athletic fields in Gilford (For school use or otherwise). The need for a study was the result of several residents asking why we even need these fields. It really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to note that the existing athletic fields are not even close to capacity but that inconvenient fact isn’t going to faze the Meadows committee one bit. What do you think the outcome of the study will be when it’s conducted by the committee that is bent on shoving this athletic complex down our throats?
Despite the news reporting of no opposition to the project, there wasn’t one non committee person in attendance that supported the athletic fields. In fact, every speaker raised huge concerns over future costs of maintaining such a complex of fields. The committee did a great job of “dancing” around the many questions asked about resident input or a final vote from the citizens. Unfortunately, the voters gave up their rights for input when they approved the Warrant Article for a Meadows Trust fund which was created by the committee for the sole purpose of By-Passing any voter input. Simply put, they don’t need, want or care about any input from you pesky citizens; they can do what they want. Not to be deterred by any further opposition, Meadows Committee member and School Board member, Sue Allan made this lofty promise “This will NOT cost the tax payers any money for the implementation and ongoing maintenance of these fields.” Who is she kidding? How does that old saying go? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Residents of Gilford should be asking several questions about this project. Let’s start by asking what kind of community gleefully invests in a multi-million dollar athletic complex but won’t support a much needed police station? The primary thrust for the committee to develop this athletic complex is based on the belief that the Meadows “gift” should not be wasted. Apparently, it never occurred to them that the land was only given to the school district after many failed attempts to develop it. The attempts were ALL denied for environmental reasons. Sounds like the previous owners made a very sound business decision to donate the useless land they were paying local taxes on and then benefit from a charitable donation deduction on their federal taxes. This is so obvious to the average citizen that the committee is going to have to produce a study to create the illusion of “need”. Furthermore, it is painfully obvious that scenic vistas are only a matter of selective and convenient importance to the community. A large percent of this project is on a flood plain. If it floods and sends all the new imported material downstream, who will be responsible? The illusion of simple grass fields is the sham we are being led to believe. The serine pasture like meadows we now see will be gone FOR EVER! It will be replaced by five groomed playing fields, multiple large bleachers, a large concession stand in the middle of the meadow, big orange cones everywhere, white chalked lines all over the place, a massive variety of practice nets, various scattered playing equipment, backstop fences along with other required fencing and a parking lot for some 180 cars. These things belong at the school grounds like any other school you’ve ever seen. Once this monstrosity is built it will simply have to have lights for night time use. They acknowledge lights cannot be installed due to the airport but as we’ve learned from the past, what they say today has NO bearing on what they want tomorrow. How can they guarantee the residents of Gilford anything related to costs or intent? They know they are a sovereign body of government that is not required to keep promises. The promises made today are only a means to get what they want today. Once this project is started Gilford residents will have few options. The only remedy is to elect new officials, however they are still not bound to kep past promises.
At this point there is only one way to halt this project. A Warrant Article needs to appear on next year’s ballot to eliminate the Meadows Trust fund which we now know was created to completely strip away the citizens control of how the Meadows is developed. Whether you want to see fields at the Meadows or not, we should all agree that we, the citizens, should have control over our property.
