Voice your frustrations next Thursday at Gilbert

Winchester residents should mark their calendars for an important special town meeting next Thursday, April 7, at The Gilbert School. Voters are invited to speak about the Winchester Board of Selectmen’s recent decision to reject approximately $400,000 in free money for the town, courtesy of a deal organized by the Winchester Land Trust.Opposed by short-sighted politicians who are holding the town hostage for petty political reasons, the land trust’s proposal is simple, smart and clearly lucrative for the town. Winchester would retain ownership of 360 acres of land in question but would sell a conservation easement to the Winchester Land Trust. With the land itself not changing hands, the town would make a huge profit without actually selling anything. Selectmen simply have to agree to continue doing what they’ve been doing for years — nothing.In the absence of logical reasons to oppose this plan, short-sighted partisans have resorted to throwing up roadblocks at every juncture, coming up with excuse after excuse not to support the plan. Those who don’t like the plan seem to be opposed to it because it wasn’t their idea, and they don’t want other people’s ideas to succeed.Opposition has come primarily from Republicans on the Board of Selectmen, two of whom, Karen Beadle and Glenn Albanesius, initially voted in favor of the plan, but have since been marched into submission by their flamboyant leader, former Mayor Ken Fracasso.Fracasso had the audacity to fault Winchester Land Trust members for negative politicking last month after he spent weeks spewing negativity and personal animosity into the debate. The only thing uncertain about his stance is whether or not he writes his own material.In response to the most recent rejection of the Winchester Land Trust proposal, 472 residents signed a petition calling for the issue to be considered for a third time. If residents vote to do that next week, the Board of Selectmen will only be required to review the land trust proposal again, not to pass it.Winsted’s proud town meeting form of government allows residents to take control of their government when their leaders fail them. Next week’s special town meeting is an opportunity to exercise that right.Residents who are frustrated by the Board of Selectmen’s poor decision making should be at the April 7 meeting at Gilbert. It’s time for the people to set an example for their leaders.