New Britain herald., 1930-12-31
Criticism of Councils Action On
 Belvidere Gasoline Filling station

Belvidere Gasoline Filling Station i Editor, New Britain Herald:- | AS a member of this community l feel that the Belvidere gasoline sta 1 ton farce has almost run its course. 1 The application for 6 station at the corner Of Allen and Stanley streets, recently submitted to the council, Was referred to the board Of adjust luent This board in its regular course of business heard the appli- cation, giving all persons interested ar opportunity to appear and be ! heard, and thereupon decided, to favor the application.
 All the above would ordinarily be i followed by the usual formalities and a station would soon be in operation.
 But for once the parties that watch and guard over city affairs, the devoted watch dogs of all muni- cipal enterprises, discovered that
 the board of adjustment was com posed Of people who didn't know the right answer to city problems.
 They were suddenly discovered to be inefficient and pablc-espe- Ciaily a to q station at Stanley and
 Allen streets. As for applications for other stations presented at the same meeting. such as the applca-
 ton of the Standard Oil company and of Fred Beloin, this same board
 was compctent, cool. capable and everything else that goes for the making up Of a perfect municipal . body.
 According 70 the mayors subSe- purnt procedure the board should have been mplimented for grant ing q permit for d West Main street station where the number ot ob- J'rtore ran into great numbers. But
 the same board should have been severely censured and in fact 1t IS
 being Censured-fOr granting a sta
 ton on Stanley and Allen streets, where the obJoctors mum bered very few. Of course I assume that the number will be increased through
 the diligence Of crusaders in the
 cause of no more gas stations.
 But, seriously, believe individuals should not l." encouraged 10 make themselves judges Of what is best
 for q city That should be city function, perhaps Of necessity dele gated 10 certain boards As q mat t"r Of fact the gas station has value
 to the particular piece of property
 upon which it is erected and much litigation has decided that 1t does
 not Of itself appreciate the value of surrounding property; rather. when
 properly supervised and erected, it
 causes the value of surrounding
 realty 10 appreciate.
 Furthermore, it pass taxes and furnishes employment. and in these
 tunes of stress. poverty and dire
 want am sure that Mir. Quigloy
 would welcome this partial solution to the problem of unemployment.
 l. has been suggested that the
 I!ayor be granted broader powers
 with reference 10 gas stations.
 And at this time it seems highly
 appropriate that the press Of this
 city have taken cognizancc ot the
 matter, There is q suspicion in my
 mind that the request for power 10 regulate the erection of gas stations
 applies particularly to the kolodney
 station at stanley and Allen streets. The eAtra ordinary measures taken
 ny the CounUl 10 insure objections 10 that particular station may well
 leare on" with the idea that their
 acton Is purely discriminatory. If tharc arc too many stations, why a pproNe tuo and reisct the third, unless uc are asked to believe that { two addltonal stations in our city
 "ill give us the ideal number of
 such businesses"
 II is tho function Of the board Of
 adjustment 10 go into matters of
 this sort Cl"arlv ConscieHtiousIy, and 'a'rly with view Of first adminis-
 t"ring the needs and protecting the
 rights Of tho city as a whole. and Of lnSuring private citizens special nrivilepes where they do not con- . fij"t with, nor are harmful 10. the ! whole mun"jpali'y These matters
 were weighed carefully by the board O adjustment, and 10 refer the mat ter from tho council 10 a subcom- mittee Of the council is not ! friendly gesture so far as the board l is concerned.
 The mayor has indicated that he i is opposed 10 more gas stations, but as l said before he probably means 1 to th1s particular gas station. The i best proof of his reaction to the l matter is the fact that Of the com milt"c of seven 10 hear objections
 five members voted against this 1 particular station at Allen and Stan
 Icy streets and two voted in favor. i am not an expert on politics but i l assume that would be what is 1 termed non partisan committee. 1 In conclusion, I seriously and sin | cerely believe that the people of i New Britain are entitled to a full 1 explanation Of the reasons for talk ] ing this matter along so circuitous
 q route.
 FOR FAIR PLAY