March 27, 2006

This is a response to Mr.Gifford's article in Sunday's Citizen editorial entitled TRAINING LODGE ENTITLED TO RESPECT
 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Mr. Gifford's article in Sunday's Citizen is not really as he presented it to the Groton people at the first meeting. I would like an opportunity to address it.

- First of all, the Groton selectmen work session is open to anyone to come and listen and speak. Unfortunately, according to the safety fire policy, the building cannot hold more than 120 people under the law, so the meeting had to be cancelled. We then asked if we could have the meeting in another larger facility to accommodate all the people. The only facility available to us was the Bridgewater-Hebron school at that time. The NATL STATED THEY WOULD ONLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN THE TOWN OF GROTON WITH TOWN RESIDENTS ONLY. So, it was plain to see that we were at a standstill, they not wanting to cooperate with the only avenue we had open to us.

- Secondly, abut the "four people and two reporters who were abruptly turned away". We were seven people and three newspaper reporters who weren't turned away, we just had no invitation to be admitted. I was one of the seven. I did not "end up in the bar" as Mr. Gifford stated. If you saw the whole inside of the Common Man Inn, you would see it is a beautiful establishment that has tables all over in which to sit at, and EAT, as well as order a drink, like any other restaurant. We could not just sit there and occupy the seats, so we ordered FOOD AND A BEVERAGE... A FAR CRY FROM "ENDING UP AT THE BAR". I personally resent the implication that we were drinkers! Thank you!!

- Thirdly, at your original meeting, the NATL specifically stated the range training plan, BUT ALSO MENTIONED THE EXPLOSIVE TRAINING AS WELL, USE OF HELICOPTERS, NIGHT SESSIONS, TRUCKS...You failed to mention this, Mr. Gifford.

You also failed to mention that YOU STATED YOU WOULD TRAIN ANYONE THAT COULD PAY THE PRICE.

It seems you failed to mention a lot of things.

The commentaries some of us have made in the papers were not "emotional", but factual. We, of course, are also concerned what effect this would have on the environment. I also understand and have read that another such training site has rendered the ground and water TOXIC LEVELS OF LEAD from the ammunition used and dropped. Since a lot of us have dug wells, we definitely are concerned.

You said the noise level would not be a problem, YET EXPERTS HAVE STATED THAT THIS NOISE LEVEL WOULD DEFINITELY BE A PROBLEM AS SEEN IN A REPORT FROM RESOURCE SYSTEM GROUP, INC. Mr. Kalinski, Director of Environmental Services for RSG, investigated noise from a number of shooting ranges and bases his critique not only on the science of acoustics, but also as his experience as a noise control engineer. In his findings, Mr. Kalinski states that "THE NORTH AMERICAN TRAINING LODGE PRESENTATIONS ARE EXTREMELY MISLEADING AND COME TO THE WRONG CONCLUSIONS." He further states,’ IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THE NATL PRESENTATION WTITH REGARDS TO NOISE IS ERRONEOUS, AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED TRAINING FACILITY.:

You say that we can expect profitable revenues, but it has been proven that PROPERTY VALUES WILL INDEED DROP. These same concerns were voiced in Farmington, NH, were you were defeated. Could they have equally been misled??

And lastly, YOU STATED YOU WOULD NOT GO INTO A TOWN THAT DOES NOT WANT YOU... It appears, the town of Groton DOES NOT WANT YOU..yet you continue to give us the "hard sell"...along with intimidations of pressing legal charges against us. Obviously, your word does not count for much, either.

So, as I stated before, elsewhere, N.A.T.L Not At This Location.

You stated, "the idea that we will influence the entire region is based on emotion not fact."...Would you like to take a census of how this entire region feels about this issue and your lodge?? You might be very surprised!

Most respectfully,
Dr. Stephen and Linda Falchetta
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Chase
Ms. Roberta Smolinski
Ms. Helen Ma
Mr. Frank Grelle