After reading your July 8 article titled “Project heading back to planners,” regarding the rezoning of the Sacred Heart church, there is so much to unpack in this report, but I want to focus on one area.

I live in the Sacred Heart neighborhood. When I hear and read about some of the things that City Council’s chairman says, it becomes difficult to trust his judgements.

For example, during the council’s July 6 meeting he “cautioned the other councilors against putting too much weight in the residents’ petition, as they can’t know what exactly was said to residents to convince them to sign the petition, and whether that may have been misleading.”

This is sheer conjecture. It is dismissive of the community’s effort, as well as all the signers of the petition. It is unbecoming of the chair of our city council.

Mr. Thomas did not ask anyone who was involved in gathering the signatures as to how the signatures were gathered before warning his members. This comment exposes the chairperson’s predilections and demonstrates how he has consistently minimizes the residents’ concerns and efforts.

As a neighbor, I become alarmed when the chairman sows doubt in the neighbors’ efforts and turns a deaf ear to their concerns, while at the same time, he bends over backward to grant everything the buyer is demanding. Why does Erik Thomas trust the developer and not the citizens of Waterville?

Sebouh Der Simonian

Waterville