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LETTERS
SEND YOUR VIEWS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: DON@NANTUCKETINDEPENDENT.COM
QUESTIONS WRITER'S INTENT
To the editor:
I am writing in response to your columnist Grant Sanders' piece about a vision for Nantucket's future in this week's Independent (Jan. 16). I was surprised at Grant's comments. It is one thing to pontificate to the choir as host of a mostly anonymous on-line community chat group, but another to point fingers in jest in an august forum such as The Nantucket Independent. I am never quite sure whether Grant is being silly or serious in his comments in The Independent or on Yack. The same applies to his thoughts about need for a vision, and Nantucket's future.
The term "vision," for me, is a way of looking forward. Based on a lifetime of experience I try to project my future path. Vision provides direction. Where are we headed as a community? What kind of community are "we" trying to create? Without asking these questions we, the community, sit on the sidelines, watching to see what happens and passing judgment once other peoples' visions unfold before our eyes. I believe it is important for a community to have a sense of what its values are and how those values are reflected in its open spaces and infrastructure, policies, planning, government, school, roads and other services that directly affect the quality of life we enjoy here. A community "vision" gives direction and a sense of identity to members who make up a community.
Predicting the future is always risky business. I never could have imagined living the life I lead today from any point in my past. Change is inevitable, the only true constant. The question is: Do we wish to shape the inevitable change unfolding before us and, if so, how? I feel it takes a goal, a destination or "vision" of where we see ourselves going if we want to create a future community we would want to live in. What kind of community do we want to be twelve years from now? To me, twelve years seems like a short time, but a realistic, easily measurable scale against which to measure change. Call it Nantucket Community Vision 2020, twelve short years from now. Grant says "there is no time for vision;" it has been done and rests on shelves with names like RKG Report and Comp. Plan and others. He offers his own vision statement on his blog with some good ideas, clearly stated and goes on to offer a set of steps to obtain his vision.
The opportunity here is to forge a community vision, a simple and direct statement describing the community we would like to live in three, six, nine or twelve years from now. I believe the vision comes before constructive action. It is not clear what action Grant would have us take. On Yack, views have ranged from an immediate shutdown of the building department, to moratoriums while we sort things out, to half-million dollar building permits, car, people and other restrictions as ways to "manage" growth. We currently manage growth through regulation and bylaws approved by a majority of voters and enforced by elected and appointed officials. Change happens on a day-to-day basis, sometimes seen, sometimes not. Without a plan, a desired destination, dare I say "vision," I believe there is no forward motion, chaos reigns, tribalism takes over and reason retreats behind walls of silliness and calls for declarations and unspecified action without thought and examination of unintended consequences.
Among its other tasks, the Board of Selectmen has taken upon itself the challenge of describing their own individual visions, on television at public meetings, over the next several months while carrying on the regular business of the Town and County. The object is to develop a consensus vision to guide the daily decisions that will shape our future community. Change is happening as we speak. Action is underway. The challenge is to try to shape our future as best we can with the tools and resources available. A little vision might help us get where we never imagined we could be. Good or bad, right or wrong, it all depends on one's vision.
- Allen B. Reinhard REMEMBERING ALAN BROWN
To the editor:
There cannot be enough said about Alan Brown and his dedication, contributions, and achievements on behalf of the betterment of the entire Nantucket community. Those of us who have had the opportunity to know him as a friend and/or colleague know his presence will be sorely missed.
Alan's devotion and love of Nantucket is readily recognizable by his perennial active participation at Town Meeting and by serving on numerous town committees and commissions - so numerous and so varied that it is practically impossible to compile a list.
As the State Representative on the Nantucket Housing Authority for many years, Alan possessed and displayed an uncanny ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. By doing so, he kept the authority members focused on the pertinent issues at hand and prevented a lot of unnecessary and useless dialogue that would only result in long tiring meetings.
As anyone interested in town affairs knows, it was Alan, who many years ago, (before it was fashionable) was the first to raise the flag in an attempt to establish a permanent public transportation system on Nantucket. As far as I am concerned, Alan deserves, because of his perseverance, to be known as the founding father of the NRTA. Just one of his many accomplishments.
Alan Brown's dedication to the betterment of the community and his achievements will be difficult for anyone to equal. As for my personal relationship with Alan, I can simply say that I have never known a more honest, unassuming, and pleasant person to be associated with. He was truly a friend to everybody and especially Nantucket.
Thank you, Alan.
- Norman W. Chaleki
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