To the Editor:

In response to the Letter to the Editor by Geraldine Brooks (March 25, “Please walk in their shoes”), as the chairman of the Oak Bluffs Finance Committee, I have to take exception to some of her comments. I did visit the Supportive Day Program, and though I didn’t take part in the activities, I observed for most of an hour, and had a lengthy conversation with Leslie Clapp. We are not against the program by any means; on the contrary, it is much needed, and it makes sense for the Supportive Day Program to find a suitable home. We just don’t think that the former VNA building is the right choice.

In my opinion, Ms. Brooks was being misleading when she stated that “hundreds of us depend on the service, and dozens more are condemned to a long waiting list.” I guess the first part of that assertion is true, if you count all the extended families of the 23 people who are currently being served. And no one is being “condemned” at the moment, as, to the best of my knowledge, there currently is no waiting list. While it is undoubtedly true that the Island has an aging population, this is not a do-it-now-or-we’ll-never have-another-opportunity proposition, in my view.

The job of each town’s FinCom is to look at how our taxpayers are being asked to spend their money. Our resources are limited; I have to keep that uppermost in my mind.

If I were being asked to foot the bill for a building far bigger than what I actually need; if I were being told by the bank to sign on the dotted line right now or my chance would be lost; if I were told that there might be some chance to rent some of the space to recoup some of the ongoing cost, but that there was no concrete plan to do so; if the bank (owner) was disavowing any responsibility for making the necessary improvements/renovations; if the extent and cost of the needed work were open to question; if the location of the building was off the beaten track, and difficult to access, especially in winter, I would hesitate before signing on. These are the reasons why we voted against this purchase as it is currently proposed.

Steve Auerbach

Oak Bluffs