To the Editor:

Attending the Solar Workshop held in the Westerlo Town Hall on Dec. 20, a handful of us residents were, in my opinion, presented with a special Christmas gift for the entire town. Councilwoman, Amie Burnside presented to everyone her opinion: She believes the public should have the right to talk and contribute thoughts and ideas at the end of all workshops.  She strongly believes in this process and was supported by newly elected Councilman Joe Boone and Planning Board Chairwoman Dorothy Verch.

I felt so proud of these individuals to act on this matter.  I was even proud of Councilman Bill Bichteman, who, although he voiced his opposition, found himself to be forthright enough to go against his long-time stance on silence, and accept the suggestion presented by Councilwoman Amie Burnside.

For the very first time, I felt a sincere, genuine respect for these individuals. I felt pride in their independent thinking and felt hope that the door for increased communication and better transparency in the town of Westerlo was finally opening.

It is only from the pooling of ideas and efforts that a “good” system (in any form) will work, and this system can only be strong because of respect and caring from everyone involved.  Thank you, to all the above-named individuals, for this special town Christmas gift.

I hope the holiday season, including the new year, will be filled with warmth and good wishes for everyone. Also a special thank-you to The Altamont Enterprise for allowing myself and many others to voice our opinions in your paper. Special Thanks to Amie, Joe, Dottie, and Bill for demonstrating that respect, although it is not a tangible quality, does help define the core of an individual’s character.

Anita Marrone

Westerlo