Sense of community gone

To the Editor:

This year the sense of community ceased being a part of the Town of Otisfield's character. The approval of a cell phone tower and the lack of concern for those affected effectively destroyed the true sense of community that once existed.

The lack of regard, consideration, and compassion by the town leaders for the residents of Otisfield is staggering. The code enforcement officer and only one selectman decided to alter and ignore the abutter notification process, which caused most of the abutters to the site to receive no notification. Rather than conduct an open public meeting, these two officials took it upon themselves to ignore the legal requirements of the ordinance.

There was not one public official or Planning Board member who witnessed the balloon test. No effort was made to look into alternative sites, alternative tower designs, or alternative systems designs. These things were asked for by the public before final approval.

The public also made inquiries about safety and real-estate values before final approval as well. Our ordinance gives us the authority to hire, at the applicants’ expense, independent consultants. The planning board requested no professional help and relied solely on the statements made by the applicant.

If the review was conducted correctly, why are the town officials unwilling to revisit the decision? The Friends of Scribner Hill never once spoke against the need for a tower; they never said no tower on Scribner Hill. They simply wanted to be part of the decision-making process.

it can be verified by an independent consultant that this is the best location to serve the needs of the people of Otisfield, then the tower should be located here, but not until all of the concerns of the citizens have been addressed. We are simply seeking to have our concerns addressed and our ideas discussed.

Maybe it is time for our town selectman to remember who elected them and who they represent.

John Poto

Kristin Roy

The Friends of Scribner Hill

Otisfield