A comment on David Collins’ column, “A COVID-19 memorial at Noank School site?,” (May 16), on the future of the Noank School property: while I and many others opposed the Town Council’s move to terminate the contract with the Noank Garden Task Force, which was managing a community garden on the property, I also observed that the council did not take this serious action on a mere whim. There were legitimate issues, but they could have been addressed in a less drastic way. Now we need to move on and start serious negotiations between the town and the Noank Fire District on the future of the property. Missed in Collins’ column was the fact that on the long list of town properties for sale, the Noank School property is not among them. That sends a strong signal that the town is not planning to develop the property. Also missing from his column is that both the town and Noank have come up with some interesting and creative ideas for preserving the property as open space.

Let’s end the divisive finger-pointing and get creative (but realistic) about how this property might be a wonderful asset to both Noank and Groton. May the conversations begin!

Elizabeth Raisbeck

Groton