To the Editor:
Thank you to those who supported my candidacy in November and made it possible, as a result of unforeseen circumstances, for me to again represent Middletown on the Town Council.
For 14 previous years, I brought a “big picture” perspective to every issue. I never thought of myself as a representative of any neighborhood or other group focused on a particular position. I always tried to look at every issue with an open mind, considering a variety of opinions but developing my personal conclusions based on the impact on the Town as a whole.
Town government develops proposals that more often than not have an uneven impact on the existing collection of neighborhoods as well as on different group structures within the community. Depending on the size of the impact, the individual neighborhoods or groups may express opposition, which is then taken into consideration before a decision is made either way.
No one likes change, even if it promises future benefit. And no one voluntarily makes concessions.
But a Town is like a family. In a family, people often make sacrifices for the betterment of the family as a whole. Sometimes we need to be reminded that the well-being of our whole Town should be the priority. This perspective encourages us to look closely at a proposal, identify the issues and, if warranted, seek an adjustment to the plan or even an alternative if it seems necessary, the goal being to make a decision in order to keep moving forward.
There is no benefit in talking incessantly about an issue without taking any action. The goal should be to find a resolution as soon as possible that benefits the Town as a whole.
Does that mean that everyone will be happy with the solution? No. Has your family ever come to a conclusion or made a decision that made everyone completely happy? Probably not. But you chose what was best for the family as a whole.
It is that perspective that will most benefit the Town. Those of us that have lived here “forever” and those of us who are relative newcomers must come together with a knowledge that “nothing stays the same” as well as a determination to “make things better.”
That has always been my guiding principle, and it is the perspective that I will continue to bring in my return to the Middletown Town Council.
Barbara A. VonVillas
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VonVillas appointed to Middletown Town Council
