“West Main Road Land Use Study Will Have Big Benefits for the Town”

How disappointing that the Newport Daily News doesn’t understand the truism that “a prophet is never recognized in his own country.”

Its editorial condemning the decision by the Middletown Town Council to contract for a study of one of the most important pieces of real estate in our town totally overlooked the unprecedented opportunity to develop a Town Center and did not recognize the potential issues that might be caused by competing interests.

Some of us may regard the release of a large piece of Navy property adjacent to larger parcels that could be incorporated into a mixed use colonial style village with walking paths and small shops as a potential boon to the Town’s economy and a major improvement on the appearance of West Main Road.

Others may regard the large parcel of land as an opportunity for further corporate, light industrial or retail growth.

These are competing interests and each has its advocates.

Not until the potential for this property is fully examined objectively by those who spend their entire careers developing similar areas can a small town like Middletown make an informed decision that it can market effectively to both the Base Realignment and Closure Program (BRAC) and, if we are successful, to the voters.

The cost of such a study is negligible, especially when those costs are being shared by the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission and grant funding. The project itself would require widespread support and voter approval for substantial bonding. However, the benefits to the Town in the long run would be incalculable.

The next time some suggest that the Town is being foolish in its spending practices, I suggest that they be reminded about our admirable bond rating and the high regard for Middletown’s financial management across the state. They should look at the services we provide and our ability, for example, to construct a new police station with minimal bonding.

In Middletown, we do not waste revenue. We make it go further than it would seem possible. For that we deserve encouragement, not unfounded criticism, not just for doing more with less, but even more noteworthy, for having vision.