Last night at the Building Committee meeting they announced that they will be going back to square one on the project and that the entire process “will be transparent.” 
It is a small victory, but what they did not confirm is if they are planning to split the combined building proposal, and if they plan to give the firehouse what they need at the firehouse location. Concern was raised during public comment, about potential for conflict between the two groups (public works and fire department), as there have been clear examples of that in the past when forced to share space. 

The First Selectman noted that he “does not want to build two buildings.” He wants to keep it as one combined building. He further went on to tell me that our petition isn’t valid and “doesn’t really mean anything” because it doesn’t have hard copy signatures. 

Selectman Olson stated previously that he would “do what the people wanted” regarding the proposal at 190 Sharon Turnpike and that if there was enough opposition, and people stepping forward, that it “would be clear what the people wanted.” Last night however, he said that he “does not ever see that land being protected as open space”, and in a prior conversation that “I do not feel the same about wetlands as you do.” I advised him that we received 100 signatures on our petition in only a few days. His reply was that “that’s only a very small portion of the population of Goshen.”

Behind the scenes, it was discovered that the Selectmen and others are now talking about a senior and/or affordable housing development as a possibility at this location. 

I am left wondering how this can possibly be a transparent process, if they have again prematurely made up their minds, without the input of the taxpayers, that the property will not be protected as open space, when there is clear public concern that it should be.
It is equally disconcerting that a clear statement supporting the firehouse and their needs at its current location was not presented. 

Please attend the upcoming Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday at 5pm and let them know your concerns.