Friends of Concord-Carlisle Playing Fields

The following Letter to the Editor, from Stow Street resident Jim Atwood, was published in the May 31, 2007 edition of the Concord Journal:

In the name of “process” some opponents of the playing fields have called for a special Town Meeting. Yet they ignored the town government “process” leading up to annual Town Meeting and delayed the Town Meeting “process” with repeated paper ballots. The town government “process” began with official town studies documenting the need for playing fields and the vetting of 25 possible publicly owned sites. The “process” continued with 30 public hearings and culminated with the relevant town boards approving the necessary permits to build fields at CCHS. All this happened before Town Meeting.

The “process” continued at 2007 annual Town Meeting when two-thirds of the voters approved funding for the fields. These funds along with private and approved CPA funds will combine to build the fields. The Finance Committee unanimously supports this plan and praises it as “…creative use of multiple funding sources.” It is doubtful Concord will ever again have such a financially attractive opportunity to finally fund fields in the right place. If special Town Meeting votes to rescind that funding the opportunity may be lost.

The opponents claim to recognize the need for playing fields but can’t think where to put them. No one has identified another convenient 8 acres of public land that can accommodate two playing fields, parking and lights and will not impact valuable farmland or be directly adjacent to a neighborhood. Following a “process” has led to the CCHS site.

In order to frame a reasonable debate at the special Town Meeting it is important voters become educated on what has transpired previously. To arrive at Town Meeting with little knowledge of the issue demeans the “process” and town committees, and abrogates our responsibility as legislators.

To become educated voters can read the Recreation sections of the 1987 and 2005 Long Range Plans, follow the discussions in The Concord Journal, visit the playing fields Web site at www.ccfields.org, read the Finance Committee report for the 2007 annual Town Meeting and attend the joint Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen June 6 public hearing.

Hopefully the debate at the special Town Meeting will be unencumbered by secret ballots, reflect a greater understanding of the “process” and the wisdom of fields at CCHS. This will culminate in a no vote on the motion to rescind, no on paper ballots and no on alternative sites.