Concerns for firing range delay health updates
Feb. 24—Due to an overwhelming number of comments during oral communications, the City Council asked Public Health Director Karin Carroll and Carl Ellis of Young Legends Street Hockey to come back at a later date to give their scheduled updates.
The request came from Councilor Melissa Cox after an hour of comments from the public on a myriad of topics such as the West Gloucester Shooting Range, Dore & Whittier's Traffic Study Analysis for the site of the new combined elementary school, and the relocation of Mattos Field.
"I think it is incredibly rude to keep them (Carroll and Ellis) on hold this long for just a brief update," Cox said. "This is our job to sit here and listen to this during oral communications. But I don't think we need to subject them to waiting to make a presentation in front of us."
Carroll was planning to give an update about the city's response to the novel coronavirus pandemic and Ellis was to give an update on the development of the street hockey rink at Stage Fort Park.
Most of the heat from citizens comes in response to a city ordinance that had been approved last spring which allows active and retired members of the Gloucester Police Department to use the West Gloucester Firing Range for firearms training.
Multiple residents who spoke up Tuesday night expressed similar frustrations of how they believe the presence of the range has and will continue to negatively effect daily life.
One resident even stated feeling as if the "quality of life is being threatened."
Others pointed to the city's use of its own committees, questioning their purpose if they are not being utilized for projects.
"The city's boards and commissions have prescribed duties and authority to provide support and guidance to governing boards and elected officials. Appointed members have the related background and expertise," Gloucester resident Patti Page said. "Frequently, these expertise are not utilized."
Page noted how, by her accounts, the Open Space & Recreation Committee has not been consulted for an opinion about the use of the West Gloucester Firing Range or the proposed relocation of Mattos Field and the Traffic Commission has been asked to do a traffic study for the site of the new combined elementary school.
"What purpose do these committees serve if elected officials are not availing themselves of these resources?" she asked.
After Carroll and Ellis left the meeting at 7 p.m., oral communications continued until 7:30 p.m. with roughly 40 people speaking up.
At the conclusion of oral communications, Councilor Steve LeBlanc explained that any rumors that the council does not listen is untrue.
"We are trying to listen to everybody," he said. "We have a very tough job to do and sometimes we have friends and family that ask us not to support something but we do it because we think it is the right thing."
"We are in tough times right now and this is heartbreaking to see that some of us are being treated a specific way because we support something or we don't support something," LeBlanc added. "I hope from here on out we can agree to disagree."
Staff Writer Taylor Ann Bradford can be reached at 978-675-2705 or tbradford@gloucestertimes.com.
