To The Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to Jo E. Prout’s article in the Jan. 7 paper entitled “A few voice support — Many object to Cynthia Elliott’s plans for party venue at her Feura Bush farm.”  There are some misleading statements within the article that I suspect are unintentional, but may lead one to have a very different view of the circumstances.

First, the title of the article is misleading as the plans and permit applied for are for an event venue that would include, for instance, corporate retreats and baby showers, not just weddings.

Secondly, the issues and circumstances surrounding the “neighbors” coming “out in force” “to protest or support” the plan is never fully or correctly explained in the article. Bill Gregory, mentioned in the article as being “another neighbor” and “speaking for several residents,” is actually someone who lives a good distance away by several roads and was there speaking for and representing a large contingent of snowmobilers and ATV riders who were at the meeting, many of whom are members of the Helderberg Ridge Runners snowmobile club.

Please see the Ridge Runners’ Facebook-page announcement that they were using the planning board meeting as their official club meeting.

I believe the Ridge Runners were retaliating against Cynthia Elliott and her larger land-owning and farming neighbors. These property owners have been cracking down on recreational trespassing because of the damage being done to the properties with vehicles and the loud noise of snowmobiles and ATVs at all times of day and night and the drinking, littering, fence destruction, and other noxious behaviors of some of them.

Our family property directly borders and surrounds the Elliott property and our family has attended two of the fairly large private events held there in the past, a wedding and a political event, and noise and traffic have not been an issue. The only true bordering neighbor who voiced any objections was not even mentioned in the article but is in one of the pictures.

Hopefully, Cynthia’s modifications in plans will satisfy his concerns. The town of New Scotland’s greatest appeal is its rural character. The town should try to maintain that character but the rural landowners need to be able to use their properties in ways that allow them to keep them.

The taxes are very high even when the property is not suitable for modern farming or development. Cynthia’s plan should allow her to profit a little from the property and allow her to keep its rural character and help pay the taxes and keep it in her family.

Tony Turi

Feura Bush