Supporters of Moultonborough rec expansion should be called on to compromise

Laconia Daily Sun              May 13th, 2008

To the editor,

Last Wednesday, the Senior Needs Committee held their second open meeting and again asked those seniors (and those not so senior) to come and present any ideas, requests and needs to them in an informal format. It was slated to be a brain storming session of sorts. In attendance and speaking at some length was our new Town Administrator. Carter Terenzini comes to Moultonborough with a lifetime of experience in government administration and a mandate from the selectmen to resolve the challenges regarding the recreation proposal and the needs of the seniors. I had my first opportunity to meet Mr. Terenzini and I found him to be well spoken, focused, affable and dedicated to accomplishing that task (among many others) presented to him by his five bosses. He related a story that he once had his office door removed from its hinges to emphasize his “open door policy”. I had the sense that he is a fair man and will be working diligently towards his goals. This observer will be hopeful throughout the process, that he is successful. I predict that he will find the need to call on the supporters of the expansion of the recreation department and the selectmen as well to compromise as much as those of us that oppose the original RSPT report are expected to compromise. Last week I called for some common ground. My meeting with Tom Howard proved, to me at least, there may be that possibility. For disclosure, I need to state that Tom and I are friends, colleagues and once shared an office. I know him to be an honorable man notwithstanding the opposing sides of this issue we stand on. As a follow up to that letter of last week I would have a couple of suggestions. The first has in some element begun to take shape. The other needs to come from those that hold the keys to the town property that is the Lions building. The seniors have to decide what programs are needed and are affordable. From that process they will determine how much and what space, manpower and transportation needs will be critical to the success of this effort. The Senior Needs meetings that have taken place, I suggest have begun that process. On the recreation side, there needs to be a call for sensible spending and a more gradual approach towards the resolution of their needs. Please note here that I said “needs”... not “wants”. For the present, the space that the town owns and the Lions Club leases should be opened and available to these two venues. I believe at this time the Lions hold their meetings there, the meals program utilizes it at mid-day and there are some scattered rentals of the facility by the Lions. It would help the recreation department if they were able to use of the much larger space in their after-school programs. While I am not an advocate of burdening seniors with youth and youth with seniors, I believe there could be a time when the seniors could utilize this space as well. This initial first step could go a long way in resolving the issues of both recreation and seniors for the short term while a more conservative and acceptable approach is carefully and reasonably planned. As for the long term, I would rather see the town put $300,000 into updating and expanding the present facility than $5-million into the original proposal. This building that has been labeled as “functionally obsolete” has a new roof, new windows, and a commercial

grade kitchen that is about 4years old.

 Rick Heath

Moultonborough

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