December 27 , 2005
Keeping an Open Mind About Open Space
By Ray Celmer and Gwenne Lally

At this time of year, as we reflect on what we value most, it is especially surprising to hear a discordant voice promoting private development over a proposed land purchase intended for the public good. In a recent guest column in a local paper, that voice accused Killingworth of being "frightened of children".

Nothing could be further from the truth. This town, and especially our new Administration, is not afraid of children. What we are afraid of is being unable to provide those children with all that they deserve - now and for the future.

Killingworth's commitment to the well being of our younger residents is clearly supported by local facts, not out-of-state studies.

Year after year we dedicate more than 77% of our taxes to their education. We willingly approved a bond issue for a much-needed new school. We produce volunteers who donate their time, equipment and expertise to build playing fields, and other volunteers who leave no stone unturned in an effort to plan for more. In fact, it was the Field Study Committee that recommended the Wettish property to the Board of Selectmen as an outstanding location where first-class fields could be constructed at a very reasonable cost.

Killingworth's generous support of our children - longtime residents' and newcomers' alike - has helped make this town one of the fastest growing in Connecticut.

Families want to live here because they know their children will be welcomed: by a school system dedicated to excellence; by enthusiastically supported sports programs; by a family-friendly library; by a proactive arts council; and, last but certainly not least, by a First Selectman who, in his forty-one years in Killingworth, was actively involved in educational and recreational programs for children, including the four he raised here.

Many of our current, pressing problems are the result of a lack of long term planning. Marty Klein wants every family in Killingworth to be able to enjoy the quality of life his family enjoyed. But to accomplish that, he is acutely aware that we must plan accordingly. Clean water and clean air " for a healthy environment " is a legacy this Administration intends to leave this town.

In recent years we have been remiss in our stewardship of what has been passed on to us. The essential concepts of stewardship and legacy are rooted in concern for our children and their children's children. The opportunities to protect that legacy, once lost, cannot be regained.

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