Mary MacMahon: Town of Sanbornton in legal battle with residents

To The Daily Sun,

In a surreal scene in Belknap County Superior Court, residents of Sanbornton watched as representatives from the town sat at the same table and teamed up with the owner of a gravel pit in opposition to town residents.

In opposition to town residents who believe the Zoning Board should not make decisions outside its realm of authority.

In opposition to town residents who believe the Zoning Board should accept the recommendations of the subject matter experts it has hired.

In opposition to town residents who believe that sound and dust concerns associated with this gravel pit should be understood and addressed before approval.

In opposition to town residents who believe the impact of the pit’s operation on neighbors health, water supply, and local waterways should be monitored by people who are qualified to do so.

In opposition to town residents who don’t want their tax dollars being spent on professional monitoring of a gravel pit because the Zoning Board did not have the foresight to make provisions for it to be paid for by the operator.

In opposition to town residents who purchased property in a residential area and don’t want 60 18-wheel trucks going past their house five days a week for the next six years.

Toto, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Mary MacMahon

Sanbornton