To the Editor:

From 1995 - 2001 I had the honor and distinction of serving as the First Selectman of the Town of Killingworth. During that time I was either endorsed or not challenged by the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee. I gave up that post in September of 2001 to accept a position with the State Office of Policy and Management. When I departed in 2001, I expected and hoped that the vision of Killingworth's future, as passed on to me by it's residents, would become the roadmap for the next several years.

Plans to build or enhance: a) a municipal center; b) create an environmentally safe,"state of the art" transfer station; c) a recreational complex; d) the preservation of more open space; e) maintain and ensure the effective operation of our septic lagoons; and f) enhance, preserve and protect our rural character, quite simply did not get advanced after I left office.

I had hoped that my successor would follow my lead, and I accordingly publicly endorsed him both times for election to the office of first selectman, but the reality is that he never fulfilled either your or my expectations of where this town needed and wanted to go.

But now we are at a crossroads and we have a new opportunity. John Amport is a proven manager and a man of action. He understands the need for tight land use controls in order to preserve the Killingworth that we all know and love. He understands that a strong educational system is the best investment we can make to protect the value of your home (which is the greatest investment any of us will make in the course of our lives).

Unlike the other candidate, he doesn't seek to change the character of this town by enticing multi-family, affordable housing into an area where it isn't appropriate and where it's financial costs could over-burden this community. Further, John values, will encourage and strengthen the land use boards and commissions of our town so that they can continue the strong, well thought out land use traditions that have been established since zoning was adopted by Killingworth in 1957.

John seeks to strike a balance between limited economic development and open space preservation. These are the two keys to keeping our taxes stable and affordable. He will get us back on course and follow through on the plans we all crafted together during the time I was priveleged to serve as your first selectman.

I urge all of you to join me in support of protecting the rural character of Killingworth and vote for John Amport as First Selectman this November.

W. David LeVasseur
former Killingworth First Selectman