To the editor:

On Monday, the Brunswick Town Council is to vote on the $5.5 million police station proposal. As I think about how we got to this point, I have to wonder why the citizens of this town are not outraged.

First, we paid almost $1 million for the land at Pleasant and Stanwood streets. This happened after more than 1,000 citizens signed a petition to stop an earlier bond proposal to buy the land.

Despite the availability of land on the former Brunswick Naval Air Station, available for a fraction of this price, the council circumvented the will of the people.

We are now watching the council stumble along toward demolishing the old Times Record building. Remember, this was originally purchased under the premise that it could be used for the new police station.

So we paid more than $1 million for that building — without an appraisal — and now want to tear it down.

As I have said many times, the Brunswick Police Department deserves a better workplace. I do not question that the current police station is inadequate.

But we are now looking at a project that will cost nearly $7 million in total and have wasted many millions in other building purchases.

The council has to be held accountable for its irresponsible spending. This issue, as controversial as it has been, should be voted on by the Brunswick taxpayers.

I encourage everyone to contact their town councilor and demand the opportunity to vote.

Do we really need to spend this much money on a police station when the economy is sluggish taxes are going up, and wages are lagging?

Karen Klatt

Brunswick