Editor's note: This letter has been received for publication in The Newtown Bee. According to Ms Walsh, this is a portion of a letter she has sent to the Board of Selectman.

Dear Newtown's Board of Selectmen:

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the community center discussion at Monday's (April 3) BOS meeting. There was a lot of clarifying top-line information presented that will hopefully help the residents feel more engaged. In order to keep the momentum going, please consider the following:

1. Create concrete and actionable next steps to work toward answering the Newtown Community Center Commission/Advisory Committee (NCCC/AC) majority of members' questions:

a. Can the integrity of the original community center proposal, as voted on by residents in April 2016, be maintained?

b. What collaborative and cooperative steps can the Town of Newtown, the NCCC/AC, architects, builders, and residents take to achieve this goal?

2. Upload both the NCCC/AC and C&W [Caolwell & Walsh Building Construction Inc] presentations to the community center page on the town's website as well as include them in the meeting minutes. Also, add a link to the community center Facebook page directing residents to these as well as to the videos (outline specific dates, e.g., 10/17/16 BOS, as well as 3/3, 3/20 and 4/3/17 BOS).

3. Remind residents via Facebook and "News & Announcements" e-mails of upcoming meetings.

4. Offer residents an invitation to attend (not participate necessarily) in upcoming "breakout" meetings on the center's planning. Can the meetings between C&W, QA, and town officials be held in the municipal center versus at C&W's offices? Completely understand that there are FOI and meeting notification processes that must be followed; however, it may be better to investigate alternate process options to help keep residents be more engaged. As with any meeting, however, there is a chance no one other than the active/actual participants will attend, but it is worth offering anyway.

The community center has the opportunity to be a great asset to the town and provide a healing place, as intended, by offering options for residents to come together.

Thank you again for all you do for the town.

Regards,

Kinga Walsh

21 Horseshoe Ridge Road, Sandy Hook         April 5, 2017