Spinning Allegations

Of Spin

To the Editor:

As co-chairmen of the Newtown Tick-Borne Disease Action Committee (TBDAC), we read with concern John Voket’s article concerning the TBDAC in which David Shugarts was the only source consulted [“Tick-Borne Disease Panel’s Staffer Warns Selectmen About “Spin,” “Inaccuracies,” 2/17/12] We believe information contained in that article should be corrected.

As background, First Selectman Llodra stated at the 12/19/11 Board of Selectmen meeting that Dr McLeod presented the TBDAC report to the BOS last fall in a fair and unbiased fashion.

We believe that the article’s references to “inaccuracy” and “spin” are ironic in that the entire article appears to be the product of Mr Shugarts’ “spin” and woven inaccuracies throughout this article. He attempted to discredit information that Dr Patrice Boily, a professional biologist and research scientist at WestConn and a TBDAC support staff member, transmitted in his 01/11/12 letter to the BOS. Dr Boily wrote as an individual, but we and other committee members concur that the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recommendation that passed unanimously was subject to the town’s adoption of the recommendation that a lethal deer strategy be selected. As the TBDAC meeting minutes show, the vote regarding the DEEP proposal was denominated item #1F as one of a series of six specific recommendations all relating to the general recommendation #1 (concerning whether a deer management plan should be part of a tick-borne disease management program), which passed by a 7-4 vote. Similarly, recommendation #2 from the same meeting concerning the deployment of four-poster devices in Newtown has a series of three specific recommendations concerning the nature and timing of such four-poster deployment to provide additional guidance to the BOS in the event that general recommendation was adopted. This follows from common sense as well as the TBDAC minutes: what would be the purpose of working with the DEEP to develop a deer management plan unless the town has decided to adopt a deer reduction plan?

For the record, the first selectman rescinded her 12/19/11 instruction to poll TBDAC members re the DEEP option, and Dr McLeod was requested to circulate the DEEP proposal to TBDAC members on an informational basis only. Mr Shugarts became aware of this in early January, as documented in e-mails between him and Dr McLeod, which were copied to the entire TBDAC and to the selectmen.

Mr Shugarts’ charge that people are not being heard is difficult to understand. His assumption that his viewpoint represents the “majority of residents” (like his 2009 suggestion in BOS minutes when the TBDAC was first formed, that the town should skip the investigation and proceed to action) is premature. In any event, we would hope that the town bases its decisions on the scientific research and data discussed in the TBDAC’s voluminous report to the BOS.

We refer The Bee reader to the insightful and evenhanded editorial on the TBDAC report published last fall. Since The Bee published a lengthy article representing Mr Shugarts’ perspective and letter to the BOS regarding TBDAC issues, as a matter of editorial evenhandedness we request that The Bee also interview Dr Patrice Boily regarding same.

Sincerely,

Robert Grossman, MD, Co-Chair, TBDAC

Michele McLeod, MD, Co-Chair, TBDAC

22 Still Hill Road, Sandy Hook February 22, 2012