On Monday I appeared before the Brunswick Town Council to share an update on the effort to put to a vote the question of keeping the town-owned property at 946 Mere Point Road for a public park. I had amazing news to share: in less than one month, more than 1,000 Brunswick residents have signed the petition to put this question to a vote of the whole town in June.

I can tell you what I heard loud and clear as I stood on Maine Street gathering signatures: Brunswick residents are really excited about the chance for a public waterfront park on Maquoit Bay, with permanent access for shellfishing right here in our town.

I also wanted the Town Council to know that this petition effort was not intended to disrespect the council’s authority in any way. In my own personal experience as a former government official, listening to public testimony from the handful of citizens who come and speak at hearings is an impossible way to measure the wishes of a whole town.

In my 25 years of developing land use regulations as a state government official, I probably sat through 100 hearings like the ones the council heard on this property, listening to people who felt very strongly that development should or should not be permitted on various pieces of land. How do you tell what the majority of the people really want by hearing the comments of a few? It’s hard to assess the wishes of 20,000 Brunswick residents from a few hearings, especially when emotions about an issue are running high.

So that’s why I asked the council, on behalf of everyone who has signed the petition, to hold off on selling the property for just six months. We’re having an election in June on other issues so if the Council waits six months, they can put the question of a park on Mere Point Road on that ballot for the whole town to decide. It wouldn’t cost the town a dime since we’re having an election then anyway. And the town has not been collecting taxes on this property for over eight years, so what’s six more months? Plus, the town would get a much better price in the summer than if they try and sell the property now while it’s covered in snow! Perhaps most important, putting the question to a Town-wide vote in June gives the council the assurance of knowing for sure what the community as a whole wants.

Unfortunately, the council seems to be pushing for a quick sale of the property despite these common sense arguments for a vote in June. What’s the rush? I would hope that the council would respect the 1,000-plus voters who signed the petition and let the question go to a vote of the town as a whole. It’s economically advantageous to wait until June, and an unprecedented number of residents are supporting a town-wide vote. So why not wait six months and hear from the voters directly? Honestly. What’s the rush?

Soxna Dice lives in Brunswick.