Looking For Straight Answers

To the Editor:

I’m a bit confused. The other night at the Commission on Aging meeting the discussion on the need for senior space at the center was the hot topic. When the first selectman, Joe Borst, was asked why the seniors could not just take over the whole building he responded that the Children’s Adventure Center was not moving! (It seemed like the ideal marriage for the Park and Recreation center to team up with a day care facility and build a joint facility. Borst feels that the seniors should be together with the recreation center!)

The part that confuses me is that Borst stated that the Children’s Adventure Center is a town-funded agency and that the staff that works there are town employees. Borst stated that many of the students are on “hardship” scholarship…but he was also quick to say that he didn’t know how many! Borst continued to state, however, that no monies could be spent for the day care upgrading/moving. So what’s the truth here, can anyone give us a straight answer? Are they actually a town or private business?

And, if Borst plans on the day care taking over the senior center at some point, is the day care going to reimburse the senior budget for the monies being spent right now for the new addition to the senior center? I doubt it!

It seems that Borst has a little bit of conflict with the senior center and the children’s center. Borst’s wife is on the board at the Children’s Adventure Center! Yet Borst couldn’t even justify the use of the whole building for the day care. Borst failed to come to the meeting with the simplest facts. Borst was unable to answer the question as to what the enrollment is of teachers or students. Maybe Borst should ask his wife!

Our first selectman came totally unprepared to the commission meeting. He is unfamiliar with the needs in his own senior community. And, he didn’t appear that he really cared to educate himself on our needs either! The first selectman should realize that we seniors are one-fifth of the population in Newtown…and we’re only growing!

The first selectman refused to even look at the petitions that the seniors and their supporters had signed for a “standalone” senior center. Even though he is a senior himself, he continuously referred to the seniors as “you people.” I just don’t think he cares about what the seniors of Newtown and Sandy Hook want.

We are willing to wait for our own center. Park and Recreation is fine and children’s day care is fine, but the seniors don’t want to be together with them and, like I said, and everybody has said at the meeting and in our petitions we are willing to wait.

Marianne Posser

15 Lakeview Terrace, Sandy Hook                          January 30, 2008