Past, Present, Future

Honor the Past, Meet the Challenges of the Present, and Provide for the Future

Honor the Past
 
Heath has a rich and resilient history, with many descendants of original families still working and living in town, others taking up summer residence, and retirees attracted to its rural and peaceful environment. Town employees and volunteers have been active in societies, boards, and committees to create a community that has provided for the education of its children, ensured the safety of our physical infrastructure and dwellings, established the Heath Herald and the Heath Fair, and taken care of our historical past. We can best honor the past by building on what has gone before, taking advantages of what has been created and the amenities we have.
 
Challenges for the Present
 
There are many problems we face in meeting the town’s needs. Among them are:

• Our aging historic buildings no longer meet the health and safety standards of our modern age.
• The town garage is woefully inadequate to accommodate highway, fire, and emergency needs.
• Town employees lack space and secure and safe places to work.
• Non-ADA compliance in Sawyer and Community Halls will take a great deal of expenditure to fix, if possible at all.
• The library has limited potential for available books and activities.
• The lack of space for parking and handicap access in the historic center creates particular challenges for hosting events.
• The continuing rises in our tax bills have been caused in the recent past primarily by increased funding for the Mohawk Trail Regional School District and Broadband.
• We need to be proactive in reining in such expenditures, while creating opportunities for bringing more income to the town.

 
Provide for the Future
 
As we determine what we need to focus on in order to meet our needs now and in the future to further develop a sense of community, the following are some of the more critical issues to consider:

• Our aging population needs accessible entry, egress, and handicapped parking for senior events.
• The number of seniors exceeds the current space in Community Hall for senior meals.
• Police, Fire, and Emergency Operations desperately need adequate facilities to function.
• Our younger population needs space for both outdoor and indoor recreational activities.
• No town-owned place is currently adequate for outdoor gatherings for socialization, picnics, etc.
• State law requires town hall meetings to be held within town boundaries.
• With the State moving toward a fossil-free environment by 2050, Heath needs to prepare for alternative energy possibilities.
• Finding ways to increase income to the town, including grants and rentals.

 
18 Jacobs Road is the only place large enough to accommodate meetings and events, with plenty of handicap-accessible parking. The needs of the Police Station, Fire Department, and Emergency Operations for adequate safe and secure facilities for meetings and vehicles can be accommodated at 18 Jacobs Road with less expense than creating a Public Safety Complex at Bray Road. The grounds at 18 Jacobs Road are the only space adequate for a town-owned solar array.
 
Envisioning 18 Jacobs Road as the town’s municipal center would free up the Historic Center for re-envisioning activities and events that would attract both residents and visitors while maintaining its historic character. 
 
Above all, we need to revive our past resiliency in facing our challenges to financially provide for the town’s needs while keeping our tax rate within bounds. To do so, it is no good holding on to past practices. We need to develop fresh ideas and employ them for the benefit of our town and its future generations.                        —Margaret Freeman