This Week’s Letters to the Editor

Editor’s Note: The Letters to the Editor section in the Woodbridge Town Chronicle is a place where community voices can be shared and heard. In the print newspapers of years past, letters to the editor were often the liveliest section, where readers spoke directly to one another, the broader community, and its leaders. To submit a letter for consideration please refer to the submission guidelines.

Community invited to all-ages May events at 10selden

To the editor,

As the month of May gets underway, 10selden — the community arts and music venue formerly known to many residents as the Amity Teen Center — continues to host a variety of all-ages music and community events in Woodbridge throughout the month.

Our nonprofit venue was created to provide a welcoming space for live music, art, and community connection, while supporting local and emerging performers in an inclusive all-ages environment. 10selden is a dry, wheelchair-accessible venue, with food and soft drinks available during events.

Upcoming May events include:

• Friday, May 15 — Ironrift, Never Ending Corruption, Lostsol, and Flavor Bomb. Doors at 7 p.m.; show at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 16 — Cardboard Dream House, Unwanted Sons, and Kyle McGrath. Doors at 7 p.m.; show at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, May 22 — The S.P.O.T., presented by Next Level Ministries. A rotating themed community event held every fourth Friday. No cover; snacks provided. 6–10 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 27 — Gastric Fasciitis, Mormon Mincers, Unabomber, and Gastrointestinal Bloodshed. Doors at 5:30 p.m.; show at 6 p.m.
• Friday, May 29 — Crike with additional performers to be announced. Doors at 7 p.m.; show at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 30 — Trench with additional performers to be announced. Doors at 7 p.m.; show at 7:30 p.m.

Most events are $12 admission at the door, with payment accepted by cash, card, or Apple Pay. More information and updated event listings are available on our website www.10selden.org. Any questions can be directed to my email address: cohen.lindad@gmail.com. 

— Linda Cohen

The writer is providing information on behalf of the 10selden Board of Directors.

A missed opportunity to save taxpayer dollars

To the editor,

Our town is facing ballooning taxes if some or all of several large-scale projects are approved for bonding. Given this scenario we should be making every effort to minimize our town’s operating expenses. Yet our proposed budget for Fiscal Year 27 (which begins July 2026) adds tens of thousands in costs to operate the new Community and Cultural Center.

In March I offered the Board of Finance an alternative. To save taxpayer dollars, the residents who are advocating for new community and cultural programming should set up a non-profit corporation to operate the Community and Cultural Center. This is the Woodbridge way in so many other instances — Massaro Farm, the Darling House, the new dog park, and the Beth-Wood Baseball League all are operated by volunteer-run non-profit organizations that collectively help to make this a great town in which to live.

In the case of the Community Center the Darling House offers the perfect model. The town owns a physical building — be it the Darling House or the Community Center — which a volunteer-led non-profit operates and maintains. Town taxpayers pay only for significant capital projects such as a new roof. The existence of a non-profit separate from government facilitates the application for grants and frees up volunteers to implement new ideas quickly, rather than wade through slow-moving bureaucratic processes. Supporters can make tax-deductible contributions. If we operated the Community Center in the same way as the Darling House we would save the town roughly $80,000 to $100,000 per year (for heat and utilities, custodial help and supplies, and newly approved part-time staffing). Why did the current town leadership reject this opportunity to save taxpayers money?

— Amey Marrella

The writer is a member of the Board of Selectmen.

Editor’s Note: Letters reflect the perspectives of their authors. They are published to foster dialogue about issues of local concern, including questions of governance, transparency, and accountability, as well as topics such as highlighting upcoming or past events from community groups. To submit a letter for consideration please refer to the submission guidelines.