Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:28:12 -0500
From: Marsha Derynck
Subject: Life in Chatham County
I think we all, whether liberal or conservative, have the same goals for our life in Chatham County. We live here because of the rural character and laid back life style. We live here because of the friendliness of the people. We live here because we do not want to live in a community of wall to wall sterile subdivision homes, all painted a shade of beige.
The criticism of our new commissioners or of our former ones seems rather silly–spitting out ‘liberal’ or ‘conservative’ with the bitterness of having a different point of view from our own. Our former commissioners were trying to preserve this life we all enjoy. We expect the same of our new commissioners. Only the approach is different. They know that we expect
the end result to be protection of our way of life. If we find the new commissioners are not holding Chatham County first and foremost and protecting our unique lifestyle, then they will go the way of Bunkey. We Chathamites knew Bunkey’s approach was wrong for us. We don’t want to be Cary. We know we have a special place to live. We want it protected.
Marsha Derynck
I would like to agree with Marsha Derynck, but I think her premise is wrong. Chatham County is in the process of transition and as a result all of us no longer want the same thing (although none of us want to live in a Cary clone). Some like rural living; others would like to be able to develop their property; some like living in small communities. But we do need to find a way to manage this transition while preserving the best in our county, and to do so in a positive, cooperative way with less name calling on all sides.