I must admit it: I was in favor of the Leyland proposal to develop housing units on the old Griswold property. What changed my mind? My wife and I have lived in Madison for 45 years, but I had never been to the property until earlier this month, when I took a guided tour led by a director of the Connecticut Audubon Society. That changed my mind.

Madison has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save a wonderful natural resource for our town, our children, and grandchildren. We can both create needed athletic fields and preserve exceptional marshlands along the Hammonasset River, marshlands that are rapidly disappearing in Connecticut. Some oppose this purchase because it will raise taxes, but the cost for the owner of the median priced home will be only $68 per year. That's about the cost of a dinner for two.

Several realtor friends tell me one of the assets that makes our town so attractive to prospective homeowners is our beaches and open spaces. Imagine what Madison would be without them. The preservation of the Griswold land will increase the value of everyone's property. When future generations look back at the choice our voters make on Jan. 26, what will they think? That we made the easy choice or made the enlightened choice that saved this wonderful place for our future generations.

Don Willliams

Madison