Joan T. Gilmour

To the editor:A letter has been sent by the newly formed "Citizens for Tamworth" group to all those who signed the petition for emergency temporary zoning in Tamworth. This letter implies that the group which circulated this petition is not dedicated to protecting the interests of all the people of Tamworth, assuming perhaps, that the name they chose, "Citizens for the Ossipees," indicates some sort of disconnect from Tamworth. Nothing could be further from the truth.Tamworth lies between two mountain ranges which distinguish and define the town, the Sandwich Range, which gives us the spectacular beauty of Chocorua and its surrounding peaks and the Ossipee Range, which, having been formed by a volcano milions of years ago, provides what is considered to be one of only three perfect "Ring Dikes" in the world. It comprises 46,000 acres of incredible geological history, with a vast inventory of wildlife and forest plants, some exremely rare.The Ossipees can be seen from all parts of our town, as well as from most of Sandwich. (It is worth mentioning that in addition to the hundreds of Tamworth residents who have signed and continue to sign the above-mentioned petition, many of our neighbors in Sandwich are signing a petition which protests the installation of a racing venue by Club Motorsports Inc. on the side of Mount Whittier. It is their view, too.) I wonder how people would feel if Club Motorsports Inc. proposed to build its facility on the side of Mount Chocorua?The rural quality of our life, the most important single component of our master plan, is enhanced and exemplified by the Ossipees. Thus, the use of the name is totally appropriate by any group which aspires to protect and prolong the life of Tamworth as we have known it and continue to envision it.It is sad to see Tamworth becoming so polarized once again. But then our state motto, "live free or die," has always seemed an inappropriate and ill-considered call for polarization. What was wrong with "the granite state"? That implied strength; "live free or die" implies no compromise, not a laudable quality either in individuals or in nations.Carroll County is the fastest growing county in New Hampshire. This fact is both a challenge and a boon to Tamworth. But as we feel the pressures on our land and services increasing, perhaps the wisest course would be to create some power for ourselves as a town by giving thoughtful consideration and eventual implementation to a simple set of rules by which we can control our future. There are many ways to attract appropriate and profitable businesses to Tamworth. We have created a fine accessible commercial area on the south side of Route 25 and the businesses which are there now are low-impact and an asset to the town. A 250 acre motor sport facility, with all its attendant noise, lights, pollution and destruction of wildlife habitat, does not seem an appropriate addition to Tamworth.Please, let us reason together, listen to each other and find common ground for the common good. Let's see more granite strength used to unite us and less polarization used to divide us.