It’s too bad that the land swap required before the new Town of Groton middle school can be built on the Merritt property next to Fitch High School has turned into a “shoot the messenger” situation. The town did not hold a timely public hearing on the proposed swap. Only recently did the town realize, when prompted by a citizen, that it had made an error. It finally held a hearing Feb. 27.

Further, the town should have known that the swap must be reviewed by both the Office of the Attorney General and the court. This fact was new only to school proponents and the media. And finally, back in 2016, the town failed to consult with any local Groton experts: Avalonia Land Conservancy, Groton Open Space Association, or the Conservation Commission. Instead it chose a property it got for free that was more than 40 percemt smaller and of minimal ecological value. Any of the three above entities would have told the town that Boulder Heights is inappropriate as a comparable swap.

The town does own property that would make a good replacement, and we can still do the right thing without in any way endangering the new middle school.

James Furlong

Groton