2017 plan is a good blueprint

To the Editor:

It was encouraging to see that Mr. [Mathew] Harris referenced the Town of Berne’s Comprehensive Plan in his letter to The Enterprise [April 23, 2020: “Planning will be the key to our town’s survival and success”]. But it was discouraging to see him dismissive of this well-thought-out 2017 adopted plan as “antiquated.”

It was intended to be implemented over the next 10 to 15 years, which provides for a reasonable, measured approach.

One review of this document and it’s obvious that this is a good blueprint for an active method to keep the character of our small town with maximum concern for our environment; support of agriculture; and the well-being of the town’s families, youth, and senior citizens.

Items Mr. Harris believes should be addressed in the new planning are included in the current plan and there doesn’t appear to be any section where the recommendation is to “wing it.”

There is much the Berne Town Board could do if it were to take a closer look at the implementation section. Follow the recommendation to review the comprehensive plan every five years, a task that should be business as usual and doesn’t require additional planning board members.

Comprehensive plans shouldn’t be static; they’re supposed to move. Instead, there seems to be this insistence that increasing the size of the planning board is the answer.

It would be naïve to think, with a new majority, everything would remain the same, yet the dismissive regard for an established plan and persistent messaging that there was no foresight from past town boards is not the way to renew a commitment to responsible planning.

Nonetheless, misleading as it is, it appears to be the approach. That makes me question why the Berne Town Board is so insistent on making sure [Thomas] Spargo is leading this effort. Why?

Tim Doherty

East Berne

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