On August 4, 2009, I sent a letter with the following question to each candidate for the Board of Selectmen positions in the upcoming November election.

“What is your position on the importance to the Town of Winchester of maintaining the quality of the Highland Lake ecosystem, and what will you do if elected to assure the preservation and improvement of the Highland Lake Watershed?”

I realized the new Board of Selectmen would be faced with many tough questions in the days ahead due to the economic problems facing the Town of Winchester. However, I also thought Highland Lake residents were entitled to hear what each candidate’s position was on the many problems facing the watershed. The timing of the letter (August 4) and the requested responses (due August 15) was very tight, and I am grateful for the responses we received. I requested a response by August 15 due to the editorial closing for the fall issue of the newsletter on that date.

Following are the responses we received. Please note the Republican candidates decided to respond with a single letter signed by all the candidates.

Democratic Party
As your Democratic candidate for Board of Selectmen, I am decidedly for maintaining the ecosystems of Highland Lake and its watershed.

My family and I frequently enjoy the recreational benefits of Highland Lake and realize the importance of continuing to support the beauty and quality of life, which we all know promote the prosperity of Winchester.

As a member of the Board of Selectmen I will actively peruse stewardship of the lake and surrounding area. I am aware of the history of the lake and how the tireless efforts of many have brought back its almost pristine condition.

I will work diligently and prioritize all actions that protect and preserve Highland Lake.
Lisa Smith

The Highland Lake ecosystem is the Crown Jewel in Winchester’s Natural Resource Inventory - invaluable! Protecting this valuable resource is critical. To have the quality of this ecosystem degraded would be impossible to correct without a monumental expenditure of funds. Our Town does not have the capability to fund a rehabilitation of the lake. I will advocate for financial support to fund continued monitoring of the lake quality, to apply appropriate treatment to remedy areas that are affected by invasive species, as well as to support the education of our community with regard to the critical importance of protecting this resource.
George Closson

I have been involved with the care of Highland Lake since age five when my parents – Archie and Shirley – included me in the various events of the watershed group such as delivering newsletters and cleanup days. This early care of the lake led me to my own weed studies and drainage improvement efforts in the late 1990s. I became involved as a Selectman as a result of this work. Since then, I have been working tirelessly over my last three terms to support policies and budgets that will protect the water quality of Highland Lake for the generations that will follow me.

In addition to my specific work for the lake, I believe as town government we must return to fundamentals of sound fiscal policy, development in the downtown, and growth in our small businesses. We will be able to do very little for the lake or anyone if we do not.
Candy Perez

Highland Lake for many years has been the biggest draw to our town. It is used by the local people and people from out of town. In the summer it is used by boaters and for swimming. In the spring, summer, fall and winter by the anglers, fishing almost year round. The Town and the residents of Winsted must support the Highland Lake Association in preserving our lake for generations to come. As a past Selectman, I supported the funding for weed control on the lake and funding associated with the lake. Thank you for all you do for the lake. I ask you for your support for the Democratic Selectmen and Selectwomen in the November election.
Art Melycher

I fully support the preservation of ALL of Winsted's natural resources- our beautiful woods, our rivers, and especially Highland Lake. These things should be respected and protected as the valuable assets they are. As a wise person once said, "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors- we borrow it from our children." As your Selectman, I will always work to preserve and enhance the natural beauty that we enjoy here in Winsted.
Mike Renzullo

Republican Party
The 2009 Republican Selectman slate would like to offer the following response to the position question posed by the Highland Lake Watershed Association.

Collectively, our slate agrees that protecting the Highland Lake watershed is of paramount importance. We recognize that recent studies have heightened concerns that water quality must be improved. Current efforts to control and eliminate milfoil weeds have proven to be successful, as has Street Department attention to catch basins and culverts. We embrace these actions as a foundation on which to expand further protection of the surrounding ecosystem. Furthermore, we recognize the specific “Water Quality” goals outlined by the HLWA and its officers and pledge our vigilance to preserving the delicate balance between man and nature.

Respectfully submitted –
Mayor Kenneth Fracasso, Karen Beadle,
Glenn Albanesius, Mary Shea, and Ray Neal