Stevie Wonder could have seen this coming. I sure did. With their leader Tamra Nottingham Underwood back the on the Avon Town Council, the four-member spending block wasted no time flexing its political muscles. Those four council members forced the Hahnewald barn on the voters and taxpayers of Avon against clear majority opposition. Moving the barn to the town hall site only commits the town to finish it someday at an unknown cost — $6 million, $8 million, $10 million. Who knows what it could cost given the town’s less-than-stellar capital improvements record. In the meantime, the barn will be an unfinished and unused eyesore. Save it and store it per Scott Prince’s proposal until a more appropriate use and location becomes available. Win-win, barn saved, money saved.
More troubling still is the fact that I fear this power block may be just warming up. Emboldened by their new power, I shudder to think about what they may do. As the Avon Town Charter has no provision for citizen referendums on this issue, protest and recall are our only options. I urge all citizens to call, email or show up at the meetings to protest. I myself didn’t get involved because I thought the sentiment was so clear that this measure would never pass. My bad. Email all the council members at avoncouncilwe@avon.org. One email will reach all the members.
Buz Didier
Avon
