Your article in the Nov. 22 CVN about the mail survey was inaccurate.
The Professional Development Company was not paid $9,000 for a mail survey. PDC has billed the borough $9,250 plus postage for consulting on a needs assessment process that entailed three months of working with the borough.
This work included supporting and working successfully with the architecture firm McCool, Carlson, & Green, helping to write and tabulate a mail survey as directed by the facilities committee, consulting multiple times in person, on the phone and via email on the project, giving several small presentations, working closely with borough management, and facilitating the Nov. 26 meeting where the rough draft of the project was presented to the public.
As far as my status as an independent contractor and committee member, I openly discussed this issue with the committee and borough management on several occasions.
The facilities committee decided the best way to approach the public opinion part of the project was a boxholder survey. Even though it was out of my area of expertise, I agreed to do my best.
Our town did a great job communicating their opinions and sending the survey back. I think that should be applauded.
Haines is struggling economically and I think local hire is very important. Unfortunately, the negative and inflammatory approach of this newspaper makes it much more difficult to live and work here. I hope that can change. We need to work together for a positive future for our town.
Lenise Henderson Fontenot
The Professional Development Company