Desperate Need
For Housing

I wish to comment on a meeting I just attended of the DRB (Development Review Board).

I have been following the case of Kevin Blakeman, a landowner trying to get approval to build a multi-family housing unit on Fish Hill Rd. I looked at his plans, his architectural drawings, I saw the layout on the property of where the buildings would be placed.

I have reviewed the zoning regulations, the court documents, and some of the requests made by the board as well as Mr. Blakemans responses to those requests.

I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Blakeman has done an outstanding job in the planning and design of his project. I feel entrepreneurs such as he deserve encouragement from our town and zoning commission. Bureaucratic red tape and nitpicking projects such as this do not help our community.

For Randolph to continue to thrive we must encourage a certain amount of growth. Vermont is in desperate need of affordable housing. Housing units such as this will stimulate the growth we need which could also attract more business.

We have lost too many businesses and jobs in this town, we cannot afford to lose anymore. I want to help Randolph and our surrounding communities as well as the state become more affordable. To that end we must encourage growth, limit taxes and reduce government bureaucracy to allow people control over their own lives and property. I applaud Mr. Blakeman for his efforts and would strongly encourage the DRB to approve his plans.

I only hope the delays and legal fees caused by the bureaucracy on this entrepreneur will not force him to take his money and creativity elsewhere. We must come together as a community and embrace an opportunity like this.

In order to keep our young people from leaving Vermont and other families from moving away because they cannot afford to live here, we must create an environment that is more affordable. We the people, the middle class, can only do this by becoming more involved in what our government does and demanding accountability from that government. Remember, the government is our servant not our master.

Bob Wolffe

Randolph