December 12, 2007

Board of Selectmen
Town of Bolton
222 Bolton Center Road
Bolton, CT 06043

Re: A Proposal for a Town Hall Study Commission

Dear Selectmen,
        We have a serious concern that the citizens of Bolton will not approve a renovation/addition at Town Hall unless the project is part of a comprehensive long range plan to utilize all our town lands and buildings for the good of the community.
        We the undersigned, with high regard for the dedicated efforts of the Selectmen to acquire and preserve the Heritage Farm and the Pistritto property and to find a solution for the space needs of Town of Bolton employees, do hereby request that the Selectmen create an ad hoc commission of concerned citizens and resident experts to evaluate all options available to solve the need for working room. This commission would focus primarily on the Town Hall and Notch Road Municipal Center, but would keep in mind the ongoing discussions about the high school building project. The commission would be expected to complete a due diligence investigation of existing town facilities and then to devise one plan (perhaps with phased steps or fork-in-the-road alternatives decided by referendum vote) that would carry the unanimous support of its members.
        The plan would take into consideration utilization of current town owned facilities as well as options that might require new construction, with all aspects of the final proposal being rationally and fiscally defensible. We request that this commission exclude current Selectmen to encourage members to speak freely and to bring a fresh perspective to the issues.
        Many of Bolton's best and brightest have already brought their substantial skills to similar planning tasks in the past, but without the emergence of a result that generated wide community support. Since then earlier needs have continued to grow, the future of the Heritage Farm has begun to evolve, the pivotal Pistritto property has been acquired and substantial areas of the Notch Road Municipal Center have become vacant. With these properties and other town holdings (Herrick Park, Peracchio property, two school properties, town garage, Bentley Library, Old Firehouse, New Firehouse and the "greens") we now have in hand the building blocks for one of the best and most livable town central cores in New England. However, we desperately need a widely supported plan which reasonably employs all our incredible assets to realize this bright future.
        We seek your courageous leadership for this effort and believe that this process will bring about a comprehensive plan that will win the support of the Bolton community.

Respectfully submitted,

Richard Hayes
Richard Treat

January 31, 2008

To: Signers of the Town Hall Study Letter - and the entire Bolton community

        Thank you very much for signing the letter submitted to the Selectmen at their January 7, 2008 meeting that requested the creation of a Town Hall Study Commission. This nonpartisan grass roots effort received much more support than ever anticipated - one hundred and forty six people were willing to publicly endorse this letter with their signatures. This note is to update you about what is happening.
        The January letter received a cool reception by the Selectmen.
        We have been told that the Selectmen will not be taking any action on our request at their next meeting taking place this coming Tuesday, February 5, at 7 p.m. in Room 9 at the Notch Road Municipal Center.
        Our work has greatly increased public awareness and generated community interest in the quest to find a solution at Town Hall, a complex journey lasting eight years to date. In order to clarify the history of this issue, we have posted a brief video presentation on YouTube that provides an overview of the series of events. To view it, please go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1eYFnXQMnA

        Please pass on this web link to your friends and neighbors. We encourage you to join us at the Tuesday meeting.
        Thanks again for your support.

Sincerely yours,