Letter to Legislators

Editor's Note: Letter reprinted, as submitted,  from Mr. Kennedy to state legislators.

Dear Senator:

I ask that, in this most hectic day of your year, you please take just a moment to look at my letter. Most of all, please, consider my simple message that I believe may be of benefit to you in these closing hours of your session. 

Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection Daniel Esty cavalierly replied to Senator Roraback, and Representatives Chapin and Roy today that he did not have the time to perform the study of the 17.4 acre property in Haddam now under consideration for exchange in section 10 of SB1196, for which they had asked his help. This property was entrusted to him. By failing to do this study, which he notes would be needed for his requested advice, and doing this long before it had become a part of this conveyance bill, he has failed every citizen of CT. 

His refusal in this letter to offer any assistance to the legislature must be totally unacceptable to every legislator. He did not even offer the decent request that the legislature "allow him the time and opportunity to do his job".

There is still time to correct the void left by Commissioner Esty. 

Senator Meyers and Representative Miller's amendments provide a wise solution to the many missing--and conflicting --pieces of information confounding judgments about this bill--and to make up for the Commissioner's failings. 

The nine other projects in this bill have all been appropriately tested and studied by the experts responsible for those parcels. You have been provided with the appropriate and needed information and advice about their dispositions. You all know that section 10 is the exception. The others were well studied, and wise counsel was provided by those responsible for the properties, such as you received from Commissioner Jim Reddeker of DOT for the many parcels in his care. Some of of those parcels were then appropriately removed from the bill by the GAE committee. 

Senator Meyer's and Representative Miller's reasonable and responsible legislation won't "kill off" any of the public benefits claimed for the exchange of the Haddam property--nor would this allow for any of the purported ills to occur either. 

Commissioner Esty in his letter to you all today also does give a bit of "advice"--if you work a little bit to interpret his vague language. He says that, right now, the facts about section 10 are, essentially, a toss up. Well---even if he isn't providing any more help....he is supposed to know about this property, after all, isn't he? 

The proposed amendments will merely assure that every legislator will have the accurate information needed to evaluate what benefits--- and pitfalls--- may accompany the disposition of this property. 

Their amendments will also ensure that all the steps required by statutes will be followed, the entire SB1196 will not be at risk of legal challenge, and you will have the benefits of the broadest and most complete public comment, as is true for the other parcels in this bill.  

It is not too late for SB1196 to be another example of the kind of good legislation I know you all work hard every day to achieve.

Thank you for all your hard work for all the citizens of our beautiful state,

John Kennedy
Deep River, CT