The Selectmen Have Blown It

To the Editor:

The Board of Selectman has completely blown it with respect to AT&T’s U-Verse service. In the article last week by John Voket, “U-Verse Proliferation on the Horizon as Town, AT&T Near Compromise,” Voket reported that the board held up installation of the necessary VRAD boxes for eight months (and counting...) while bickering over a VRAD box across from the middle school. I’ve seen the disputed box; it’s not hideous and it doesn’t block the right of way. Holding up U-Verse as a result of this one box is simply idiotic.

Charter, based on statistics available on the CT DPUC website, offers the worst deal on cable television in the state. The board should be welcoming AT&T with open arms; instead, they are costing the residents of this town valuable consumer options and very possibly hundreds of dollars each year as we wait for this contest to end. I’m looking forward to the impending elections, so that Newtown might be able to have a board with its priorities in order. I am happy that First Selectman Borst will not be seeking reelection, and I most certainly will not be voting for Paul Mangiafico, who is specifically mentioned in the article as obstructing the U-Verse roll-out.

Russell Anderson

91 Great Ring Road, Sandy Hook                                  April 26, 2009