In recent weeks a suggestion was made that as a member of the Charlestown Planning Commission I have a conflict of interest because I am also a member of Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA), a local advocacy group that concerns itself with issues of open government, the environment, community, taxes, development and that is opposed to a casino in Charlestown. The concern is that CCA occasionally sends messages to its e-mail list expressing opinion or providing information on land use issues. Such e-mails are meant to engage residents in the life of the town, which I consider a good thing. I don’t send out the e-mails or vote on their content, but I usually agree with any opinions expressed. Having opinions or preferences is not a conflict of interest.

There is no logical reason for anyone being barred from participation in government or advocacy simply because of having or expressing an opinion or preference, especially when that preference is well supported by the majority of residents of our town. The group that has raised this issue is not likely to be influenced by logic however, and I fear that the rest of the CCA steering committee will feel constrained in their public speech if they have to worry about how it may be used against me. I don’t want CCA’s work to be defeated in this way and I have therefore decided to step down as a member of the steering committee.

I consider CCA to be the best thing to have happened in the political life of Charlestown. Through its e-mail list of over 1000, CCA is in touch with a broad cross-section of the community. CCA engages citizens who spend little time at town hall and who are not members of the political committees. Such people make up the majority of our town.

Ruth Platner