My undergraduate degree is in biology, and I’m certified to teach both life and physical sciences. I pay property taxes, living within the Lake Auburn watershed.

On Oct. 11, I witnessed the Auburn Planning Board’s intention to recommend a minimum three-acre building lot within the watershed. The members had their marching orders, come heck or dirty water, and they were sticking to it.

Paraphrased, we have to make a recommendation, or the City Council will make one before we do.

They also plan to have individual septic systems within the watershed tested. Our water comes from one of the nine cleanest lakes in the state not needing an expensive treatment facility, so why the septic checks?

An Auburn taxpayer-funded study, not yet submitted, but they have to do this now? How much taxpayer money was spent on this study?

The interesting part is what they’re not saying. All of these changes to our pristine drinking water could eventually require a multimillion dollar, Auburn taxpayer-funded water treatment facility. If we have that facility, people will be able to swim. If people can swim, then the properties around the lake can be sold to the highest bidders. The grassroots “Protect Lake Auburn” signage is about stopping this very plan.

Protection? Horsepucky. The Auburn Planning Board is stacked with like-minded individuals who seem to be in it for individual, short-run gains.  The three acre recommendation passed easily, 5-2.

You don’t build in the watershed to protect the watershed.

Todd Mogul, Auburn