I read with interest letters to the editor on May 7 regarding the future of our town. The opinions of two of the writers were in opposition to the third. One said: “I wonder… why the powers that be in the town strive to make Fountain Hills another Scottsdale?” She referred to “traffic, larger malls, super-supermarkets…”

And yet another writer says: “…our current leaders have done nothing to really promote and grow the community.”

As chairman of the town’s Strategic Planning Advisory Commission, let me assure the public that nobody I have spoken to, including every member of the Town Council, has any intention of letting Fountain Hill become another Scottsdale. What we have unanimity on is to not change the basic character of this beautiful town. However, the facts are these:

•The average age of our population increased 10 years in the last census.

•And our population has dropped by more than 2000 citizens.

•The number of school- aged children has dropped to such an extent that we had to close an elementary school.

Any town with these trends runs the risk of deterioration resulting in stagnating house values and reduction in services.

The council has adopted a very sensible Economic Development Plan. Economic development need not mean companies that hire hundreds of people and pollute the air. It does mean that we need to attract small businesses to fill some of our empty office space. Hopefully resulting in increased use of our retail establishments and an increase in sales taxes. And who might even have children to fill our classrooms and thus diversify our population.

We must make every effort to slow down, and possibly reverse, the present trends and retain the vibrant nature of Fountain Hills.