There is no $33 million construction plan for Ninigret Park. The Charlestown Town Council will meet on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 6:00 pm at the Charlestown Elementary School to discuss a DRAFT concept planning document for the FIRST time.
It is important to know, this conceptual long-range planning document is not a construction plan, nor has it been reviewed by the Council, let alone been approved. It is a vision presented by a consultant and the Parks and Recreation Commission. It is a concept. It is an idea. Look at the 2008 Ninigret Park Master Plan to see that very few of the items therein have come to fruition to date.
Why is this non-issue creating such community concern? Because the CCA has dropped this into its spin cycle in order to create discord and distrust. If you have unfortunately believed the CCA’s lies to date, then you’ve been fooled! The election is eight months away and the CCA has already started up the trick machine. It seems they want to divide our town, rather than unite us. They want to create controversy where none exists. Spreading false and/or deliberately misleading information often works to their political advantage by confusing people but is not in the best interests of Charlestown residents. Sadly, this approach has been working. Councilors have received calls and emails from upset citizens who have been misled about a non-existent spending plan.
We don’t look forward to taking time over the next eight months addressing the CCA lies and innuendo, but we can’t let this misinformation sit out there uncorrected. Unfortunately, some people believe whatever the CCA writes and will not be swayed by the truth. As President Abraham Lincoln wisely noted: "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."
If you are able, please attend the Town Council meeting on Monday, April 15th and hear the Town Council discussion for yourself. Don’t take anyone's word; come see the plan and hear the discussion for yourself.
We hope that once the truth is fully exposed that people will, in the future, look objectively at what is posted on the CCA website, and not just take what they write as gospel truth. Fact check what they say. Reach out to your Town Council members with your concerns and questions.
It's going to be a long eight months to November.