Editorial: Process and Expertise

Greenwich thrives because of its volunteers—men and women who give their time, talent, and energy to build a better community. They take on the challenges of governance, public projects, and planning not because they have to, but because they believe in the town and its future. These individuals deserve not only recognition but respect.

Bill Drake, chair of the Rink Committee and a former member of the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), has made the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink project the centerpiece of his civic contributions. He has devoted countless hours to this effort, leading a team of volunteers and professionals dedicated to creating a new, modern rink for Greenwich. For this, he has endured criticism that we believe is both false and unwarranted.

On the rink committee, Drake is joined by an exceptional group of individuals with decades of experience in community service and project management. Among them is Mike Bocchino, a former state representative, former head of the Byram Neighborhood Association, and the driving force behind the successful construction of the new New Lebanon School. Other committee members include representatives from Byram Veterans, youth sports organizations, the Greenwich Skating Club, and the Board of Parks & Recreation. On the professional side, the team includes Luigi Romano, a Department of Public Works Project Manager; Steve O’Hurley, who oversees Building Maintenance and Construction; and Joe Siciliano, the Director of Parks and Recreation. Together, this group represents a remarkable combination of technical expertise and an understanding of the community’s needs.

Their work has been supported by residents in an overwhelming way. A January 2023 survey showed that 84% of respondents endorsed the project’s “flip” plan. Hundreds of residents sent letters to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), urging support for Municipal Improvement (MI) status. These voices demonstrated widespread confidence in the plan and in the individuals reading it. Yet, this groundswell of support was drowned out by the noise of political maneuvering.

The RTM’s decision to overturn the Planning and Zoning Commission’s (P&Z) approval of MI status for the rink project represents a troubling turn. The P&Z, a body composed of seasoned and capable experts, granted MI status to the rink project in December 2024 after years of meticulous review. This decision was informed by professional studies, engineering analyses, and extensive public input. P&Z is tasked with ensuring that projects align with the town’s long-term goals and strategic vision, providing a measured and balanced perspective. To override their approval is to disrupt the well-established process Greenwich relies on and should be used only under unusual circumstances. This is now the second time it has been used in two years.

The timeline for the rink project was deliberate and transparent. Following the granting of MI status, the next steps would have included refining construction documents and plans in 2025, submitting capital requests to the BET, and seeking further RTM approval at appropriate stages in 2025 and 2026. These steps were designed to allow for continued review, public input, and any necessary revisions and to ensure that all stakeholders had the opportunity to evaluate the project as it progressed.

Instead, this structured framework was disrupted when an early vote by the RTM was forced, asking its members to assess a highly complex issue with barely three weeks’ notice. These RTM volunteers were tasked with reviewing professional studies, three years of work, hundreds of hours of committee effort, and over 300 letters from residents—all in an impossibly short time. What should have been an orderly process devolved into a rushed and contentious battle, transforming the RTM into an instrument of political interference. In the end, it is Greenwich residents who have suffered.

This vote raises a critical question: will every MI status going forward be subject to the same premature challenges and political posturing? If any one person can challenge MI status and ask the RTM to over-ride the P&Z, what confidence can we have in the town’s ability to move forward on critical projects? Greenwich cannot afford to turn every infrastructure initiative into a partisan battleground.

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