TO THE EDITOR: THE NORTHFIELD NEWS THE RECENT debacle concerning Public Works Director William Lyon is a good example of a bad example, of public policy motivated by spite and malice rather than by any sound principles of government. That three of the selectmen, at least one of the trustees, and the municipal manager have an animus against Mr. Lyon is all too obvious. In their combined haste to punish him for not retiring of his own volition – and, far worse, for daring to stand up to any and all of them when he felt they were wrong – they violated the municipal personnel policy and convicted him, in absentia, of imagined crimes and misdemeanors. As a person who would not truckle to their absurd whims and misguided notions, he was deemed to be expendable, and deleting his position was their way of ridding themselves of an inconvenient public servant. That action has been reversed – for now – thanks to the pressure brought to bear by alarmed and enraged citizens. However, I harbor no illusions that his detractors learned any lessons on January 25, or that there was any repentance on their part. They’re like kids who got caught with their hands in the cookie jar and who feel, not embarrassment or shame, but resentment at getting caught and a desire for revenge. I expect that the instigators of Mr. Lyon’s dismissal will continue to snipe and carp and do everything possible to make the remainder of his tenure as uncomfortable as possible

Unfortunately for Mr. Lyon, he also stands at the center of a controversy which is waged only on one side, and that is relationship of the Town and Village and the manner in which tax dollars are spent. The animosity – for it can only be described as such – of the three selectmen toward the Village manifests itself in endless arguments about how many grains of sand or ounces of salt are spread on Village streets or Town highways – among other things. This narrow, parochial attitude retards any progress in Northfield; it has gone on far too long and needs to stop. It might be remembered that two of the three selectmen were also part of the cabal that attempted to hijack the Town charter in the recent past and to twist local government to suit their own crabbed and narrow philosophy; they are no doubt still resentful from the emphatic rejection of their clumsy and ill-intentioned efforts.

Unfortunately, no one has come forward to challenge Mr. Johnson for his seat on the Board; I can only hope that someone will launch a vigorous write-in campaign and oust him from his position. This would go a long way toward restoring balance and common sense to the Board.

RICHARD L. CLEVELAND

Northfield