An Open Letter to Triple T / N&M Properties,

Date: May 30, 2009

RE: Response to Triple T / N&M Properties Route 119 Composting Proposal

An Open Letter to Triple T / N&M Properties,

Thank you for clarifying your true intentions on turning the Rt. 119 Property into a Compost Facility and not an Industrial Park. The Voters suspected as much. Please remember the Voters of Winchester overwhelmingly said no to you the first time.

I carefully read the responses from Triple T in the local papers and the Winchester Informer Website to those who oppose the Compost Facility. Thank you for letting us know you will be campaigning for a Zoning change. I can only speak for myself but I believe you will find my feelings below are indicative of most Winchester and Ashuelot residents.

You may go on a campaign to educate us – but we are quite capable of educating ourselves and have many qualified sources of information. We have used them and will use them.

You cannot address the amount or kind of truck traffic and it would be unfair of you to imply you can or know how little impact it would have. You are businessmen and I suspect you would want the facility to earn top dollar and work at maximum capacity. That means one of 2 options – more trucks or larger trucks and over time possibly a larger facility using the other acreage that would again increase the truck traffic. Meanwhile – you live elsewhere.

You cannot change the fact that should this kind of truck traffic be generated it will become a daily part of the tapestry of our town life.

You cannot address the impact on our community, in property value decline or on the desirability of the community as a place to live, and why should you care once the Compost Facility is making you money?

You cannot address the fact that if we grant an exemption for you – others would want the same consideration.

You cannot address the fact that a Compost Facility will generate very little Tax Income or Employment Opportunity for the Town of Winchester. You are in fact the ones who would benefit from this – not us.

If you want to use the property and have the Voters support then I suggest you might try the following:

* Use the property in accordance for what it is zoned for.
* Bring a business that makes a substantial financial contribution to the community.
* Bring a business that brings beauty to our community.
* Bring a business that brings employment opportunity to our community.



I am sorry for you in this respect – that better due diligence was not done by you before purchasing the property for the purpose of a Compost Facility. However, that is not the problem or fault of the Voters in Winchester.

You should know before you invest any more money in the goal of a Compost Facility that you have succeeded in galvanizing this community against such a facility. Voters from every political persuasion are coming together to re-affirm their opposition and go on campaign of their own. Right Wingers, Left Wingers and all those in between. Based on that, I somehow think you would be better served pursuing another option. We voted, we will vote and we will take note of Elected Officials who may be tempted to try and circumvent our will.

Before proceeding any further you need to ask yourself this question, if I may borrow from JFK, “Ask not what Winchester can do for you – Ask what you can do for Winchester.” Then we both have a place to begin. I wish you the best in that.

Thank you very much for your consideration of this Resident Tax Payer,

William A. Phillips - Ashuelot, New Hampshire - wajphil2@myfairpoint.net