From the first time that the Oyster Bay and East Norwich Civic Associations were made aware of a proposed Theodore Roosevelt Museum and Research Center in September 2007, we recognized the opportunity and honor it would be to take part in developing a Museum dedicated to our favorite son here in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich community. But we have also been measured in seeking to research and verify information for a project of this size and scope, to offer positive alternatives and suggestions, and to do our best to assure that the final product would not be sized or situated in such a manner that would result in an adverse impact to the valued lifestyle of our community. We continue to believe that this is the only responsible way to proceed. We welcome and have urged a very deliberate consideration of the entire proposal, particularly in light of its scale and potential visitor, environmental, traffic, and parking demands to be added to this community. We are hopeful that the reports and studies that must be completed by the Theodore Roosevelt Association will become available soon, so that Town of Oyster Bay officials, local residents, and business owners alike can all undertake a fact-based, balanced, and thorough evaluation of a proposed museum at a more detailed level than has been possible to date, with the ultimate goal of seeing this opportunity to a fitting reality.

Over the last many months, our focus has been to collect and disseminate information, encourage a community dialogue, and gather suggestions and ideas from our membership and other residents of our community. While neither civic association has taken a formal position on the matter, there is support for a museum within the Oyster Bay-East Norwich vicinity. There is also clearly a great interest among residents in taking the time to evaluate the reports required of the TRA, and to assure that it is all done in a manner appropriate in size and location, and in consideration of the continued integrity of [the Oyster] Bay [marine environment], the well-deserved facilities for our Oyster Bay Fire Companies personnel, and impacts to the Oyster Bay-East Norwich School District, our recreational activities, and the residents generally- both in the immediate vicinity of any applicable site and elsewhere within the community at large. We believe that such a deliberate approach will best ensure that a museum is an asset to our community, while also maintaining the lifestyle we value and promoting a successful downtown.

In seeking to continue the community dialogue and to see such an opportunity to actual fruition, the Oyster Bay Civic Association joined with the Main Street Association and the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce in recently engaging the services of Dan Burden of "Walkable Communities" in order to encourage the further exchange of information and opinions on a museum and Firemen's Field generally. The Oyster Bay and East Norwich Civic Associations met jointly with Mr. Burden during his visit to share that which we have gathered from so many of you over the last several months. Mr. Burden did a fine job of pinpointing the many assets that we have right here already, as well as some of the things that we still need to get straight in resolving many of our systemic problems (such as improved parking, streetscape, and providing better access to and connection of our downtown to our valued waterfront). We commend him for expressing that the community must be willing to listen to all views on this very important issue and that disparate opinions must be shared openly, evaluated, and, to the extent possible, resolved, if we are to reach a consensus that is fair for all.

Both Civic Associations remain firmly committed to the matter and have volunteered to serve on the steering committee currently being organized as part of Mr. Burden's suggestions. With this committee as the first next step in a deliberative process, we will urge that its members be made up of a broad cross section of community groups so that the various interests and issues can be evaluated in the hope that an accord will emerge that is acceptable to all. We will continue to follow up on the reasonable issues, questions, and concerns raised in our prior meetings and elsewhere, and will carefully evaluate and share with you the findings of the TRA's preliminary studies when completed, all in an effort to see this opportunity to a responsible and balanced reality.

Matt Meng, president, East Norwich Civic Association

Bill Von Novak, president, Oyster Bay Civic Association