To the editor:
Last week the Town of Greensboro held the required public information meeting prior to the Australian ballot vote on the conveyance (Purchase and Sale Agreement) of the Greensboro Town Hall to Gilman Housing Trust (Rural Edge).
While the meeting provided an opportunity for members of the community to share their views on the project and ask questions, it also exposed the lack of community participation and leadership, which are critical to the success of any change.
The purchase and sale agreement that the community is voting on, has been developed behind closed doors and involved very few members of the community with relevant expertise. Greensboro has experts with deep knowledge of property conveyance, land development, building architecture, utilities, energy efficiencies and environmental impacts. Their increased involvement could have enhanced both the leadership of, and community trust in, any proposals for the town hall redevelopment.
Trust is not a given, it is earned through inclusive and transparent communications. At the meeting, Mr. Shattuck of Rural Edge, stated that he began conversations with the planning commission and housing committee six years ago. A public meeting at that point to engage the wider community in a dialogue would have been very helpful and should have taken place. When significant change is involved, those being impacted need to be part of the process.
Whatever the outcome of the vote, I recommend that the Greensboro Select Board adopts a more engaged approach going forward to help rebuild the trust and heal the divisions in our community.
Liz Steel
Greensboro
