Priorities … every individual has them, but as the size of a group grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to have alignment. Families have priorities, but at times even our five-person group sees important issues from very different perspectives. Thus, it is not surprising that aligning priorities at the community level can be difficult and, in some cases, can become emotionally charged. The decision about converting Nursery Field to turf has become just that… a contentious issue with strongly held and valid views on both sides of the debate.

I am highly sensitive to issues such as flooding/runoff, traffic patterns and wildlife/historic preservation, however, above all else, I value the health (physical and emotional) and development (interpersonal and cognitive) of our youth. I have witnessed firsthand the benefits of kids being together while engaging in activities they love. Whether it be, art, music, theatre, dance, sports … more space and more opportunities to engage make them more resilient, creative, and collaborative. If the responsibility of a community is to create opportunity and take care of its own, then this must be a priority.

My father, who served in the military, taught me that leadership in not an exercise in making everyone happy … in fact, great leaders have deep values that they prioritize often in the face of criticism. I’m confident that constituents on both sides of this debate can provide endless amounts of credible data and analysis that support their view … we could be debating this topic for the next 10 years. For me, that is not a good outcome. It is time for leaders to lead, make a plan and move forward, and I’m hopeful that they share my values and prioritize the responsible creation of more playing space in Rye for our youth and a turf field at Nursery.