Anonymous Greensboro Group Sends Letter on Town Hall Project

GREENSBORO – Another anonymous group has recently weighed in on the town hall redevelopment project. Using an email address named Better Greensboro directed to transparency .for .greensboro @gmail .com, the writer of a November 7 message uses the term we in referring to itself, suggesting at least several people are involved.

courtesy drawing An architectural rendering of the Greensboro Village School Apartments proposed by RuralEdge shows an addition extending into the parking lot behind the building now housing Greensboro’s Town offices. RuralEdge Executive Director Patrick Shattuck says these are preliminary drawings, “subject to modifications.”

The email message recaps the two letters from counsel for the Save the Town Hall Coalition and responses to them written by David Kelley, then introduces a new letter dated October 8 addressed to Save the Town Hall Coalition and not previously shared in a public forum.

That letter ends with the paragraph, “It is clear that the original breadth and scope of the RuralEdge Housing Project is much larger and more impactful than originally presented. We suggest that the Greensboro Community become informed of the true extent of the project, request full transparency moving forward, and consider demanding the resignation of all the existing Selectboard members who have violated their fiduciary duty during this process.”

The letter, signed by Edward B. French, Jr. Esq., identifies select board member MacNeil’s claimed conflicts of interest and suggests the select board has concealed them. It also suggests Kelley’s letters in response to counsel’s inquiries have not been handled properly, have not been approved by the select board and actions indicated in them have not been carried out.

courtesy drawing Elevation drawings of proposed Greensboro apartments show the view from town continues to be of the building that Greensboro residents and visitors had come to expect as they travel up Craftsbury Road or Town Road 8. RuralEdge has worked with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation to preserve the historic character of the building by adding the addition behind the building, where the town recycling operation is now.

Attorney French has not responded to requests for comment by email or phone calls. None of the other parties involved in this discussion has responded to email; not the Save the Town Hall Coalition; not the writer of this most recent email message, Better Greensboro and not Concerned Citizens of Greensboro. None of those three organizations have identified its members or provided any other means of making contact.

Greensboro Select Board Chair Eric Hanson had no comment on the letter and no public documents or minutes of select board meetings indicate it has been presented to the town, or that any demands based on it have been either.