To the Editor:

In response to the recent letters regarding difficulties between members of the Marion Planning Board I wish to add some comments. Planning board members are ELECTED.

That means a majority of voters want the candidate of their choice to serve on the Planning Board. I voted for Eileen Marum because I thought, and still think, the Planning Board needs fresh voices with new and open minded ideas.

The Planning Board is not a club where members say yes, we all agree about what to do and how to proceed. It is a platform for the open debate of ideas followed by positive action. There is a great deal of work in front of the board and I urge the members to put aside their personal differences and spend their efforts and time trying to solve the problems the Town of Marion faces right now!

The Master Plan revision requires a lot of time and effort and the Planning Board should welcome and enlist all the help it can get. Our zoning by-laws must be rewritten to ensure we get the type of commercial development we want. Most of this work should be done by the Planning Board and not delegated to costly consultants. Please, Planning Board members, turn over a new page and get to work.

Elizabeth Brainard