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Opinion
That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
These famous words of Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address emphasize how vital it was, to many of our ancestors, to have a government that represented them. This freedom was so vital that many died for it. Yet, just as important, it can be lost if we are not vigilant. Who amongst us cannot see the hunger in the eyes of the power grabbers? And they are all around us. That is why our Founding Fathers worked so diligently to create a document that would help us guard against this greed. They realized that even the most honest can become corrupt when tempted with power.
When we vote for our representatives in government, we are putting our faith in them, that they will represent individual rights. We all have hectic lifestyles, so we prioritize our time accordingly. But, we are doing ourselves a grave disservice if we do not give our civic duties a very high priority. We cannot cast a vote and expect that our job of vigilance is done.
Our town board members put in a tremendous amount of work for no pay. I do not want to seem ungrateful but here is an example of why citizen input is so important. Many residents of Windsor tried reminding our town board that allowing horses but not cows in E1 zoning was an arbitrary restriction and should be amended. The town zoning laws should be as broad as possible to ensure private property rights. Those who want certain restrictions can join or form a homeowners association that fits their needs. This whole issue was not about one specific family, but rather a chipping away of all of our rights.
There was much evidence presented that showed horses were more damaging to pastures than cows. Yet, many of the town board members were against allowing cows in E1 zoning, stating health and safety concerns. Since a cow and a horse are approximately the same size, why would a cow be less safe than a horse? In fact, horseback riding is the third most dangerous sport with 128 fatalities per 100,000 riders, according to a recent study on dangerous sports. As far as health concerns, both excrete manure to feed the soil.
At the work session, which allowed public contribution, there was much more input from constituents in favor of the zoning change than against it. And what about the survey given to residents by Windsor Now, showing 70.9 percent in favor of cattle? The planning commission’s desire to exclude agriculture animals is an arbitrary decision and an infringement on private property rights. The input from local large-scale cattle owners may be a genuine concern or may merely reflect a threat to their economic interest.
Our town board has many issues to study and resolve. It is only right that we all join in and let our voices be heard. Many of them ran for their seat on the basis of being a representative of the people in their district. I feel that this shows a great lack of openness to their constituents in favor of the planning commission’s future desires for Windsor.
I urge you to set aside a few nights a year to sit in a town board meeting and let your voices be heard.
@WNW OPINION Column tag:Maureen Paterson has been a resident of Windsor for over seven years. She is a substitute teacher and supporter of education. She also actively participates in letting her voice be heard by our government.
These famous words of Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address emphasize how vital it was, to many of our ancestors, to have a government that represented them. This freedom was so vital that many died for it. Yet, just as important, it can be lost if we are not vigilant. Who amongst us cannot see the hunger in the eyes of the power grabbers? And they are all around us. That is why our Founding Fathers worked so diligently to create a document that would help us guard against this greed. They realized that even the most honest can become corrupt when tempted with power.
When we vote for our representatives in government, we are putting our faith in them, that they will represent individual rights. We all have hectic lifestyles, so we prioritize our time accordingly. But, we are doing ourselves a grave disservice if we do not give our civic duties a very high priority. We cannot cast a vote and expect that our job of vigilance is done.
Our town board members put in a tremendous amount of work for no pay. I do not want to seem ungrateful but here is an example of why citizen input is so important. Many residents of Windsor tried reminding our town board that allowing horses but not cows in E1 zoning was an arbitrary restriction and should be amended. The town zoning laws should be as broad as possible to ensure private property rights. Those who want certain restrictions can join or form a homeowners association that fits their needs. This whole issue was not about one specific family, but rather a chipping away of all of our rights.
There was much evidence presented that showed horses were more damaging to pastures than cows. Yet, many of the town board members were against allowing cows in E1 zoning, stating health and safety concerns. Since a cow and a horse are approximately the same size, why would a cow be less safe than a horse? In fact, horseback riding is the third most dangerous sport with 128 fatalities per 100,000 riders, according to a recent study on dangerous sports. As far as health concerns, both excrete manure to feed the soil.
At the work session, which allowed public contribution, there was much more input from constituents in favor of the zoning change than against it. And what about the survey given to residents by Windsor Now, showing 70.9 percent in favor of cattle? The planning commission’s desire to exclude agriculture animals is an arbitrary decision and an infringement on private property rights. The input from local large-scale cattle owners may be a genuine concern or may merely reflect a threat to their economic interest.
Our town board has many issues to study and resolve. It is only right that we all join in and let our voices be heard. Many of them ran for their seat on the basis of being a representative of the people in their district. I feel that this shows a great lack of openness to their constituents in favor of the planning commission’s future desires for Windsor.
I urge you to set aside a few nights a year to sit in a town board meeting and let your voices be heard.
@WNW OPINION Column tag:Maureen Paterson has been a resident of Windsor for over seven years. She is a substitute teacher and supporter of education. She also actively participates in letting her voice be heard by our government.
