Freedom — March 30, 2006 — Ossipee Lake Alliance’s Board of Directors has issued a letter refuting a public statement by Freedom Selectman Les Babb that an official of the lake organization told him the group intended to “shut down” Ossipee Lake Marina.

In a letter to area newspapers, the six-member Board of Directors said “No one from our organization has ever said or implied any such thing.”

Babb, who is the town’s Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, made the comment at a meeting that he and Selectman James Breslin called last week to discuss allegations that the Selectmen have issued decisions undermining the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s 1997 and 2002 rulings limiting the Marina’s scope of operations.

The letter follows:

3.28.06

To the Editor:

Last week, Freedom Selectman Les Babb said publicly that an Ossipee Lake Alliance official told him the organization’s goal is to shut down Ossipee Lake Marina. No one from our organization has ever said or implied any such thing.

In recent weeks, we have been joined by past and present ZBA officials and other concerned residents who believe the Selectmen have ignored zoning violations at the Marina and have made decisions that undermine the intent of the ZBA’s 1997 and 2002 rulings on the Marina’s operations.

Last week, the Town Attorney reaffirmed the ZBA’s authority in two of the four issues we raised, and a decision on the remainder is expected at a public meeting to be held at Freedom Town Hall on May 1st.

Our organization’s mission is to preserve and protect Ossipee Lake as a unique environmental, recreational and economic asset. Zoning laws assist in that goal by protecting the environment and ensuring a fair balance between the rights of residential property owners and the rights of commercial property owners.

We will continue to speak out in support of zoning and other laws that protect the lake. That includes holding our elected officials accountable for their actions.

Howard Bouve
Barre Hellquist
Robert McDonald
David Smith
Susan Marks
Perry Fine
Ossipee Lake Alliance
Freedom