A Breach Of Trust

To the Editor:

The residents of Newtown have every right to expect that their elected and appointed officials perform their duties in a trustworthy and respectful manner.

In fact, the Newtown Ethics Policy demands it: “The proper operation of democratic government requires that public officials, employees and other persons involved in the governmental process, and in the services rendered by government, be independent, impartial and responsible to the people; ... and that the public have confidence in the integrity of its government.”

There has been an accelerating pattern of deception and arrogant behavior by the leadership of Newtown, which has resulted in the public losing confidence in the integrity of our town government.

In 2008, the selectmen decided, on their own authority, to spend $3 million more than the Newtown voters approved in 2001 to construct parking lots and for the demolition of Greenwich Hall. This was accomplished by a using a dubious amendment to the Newtown Youth Academy lease and then not holding a hearing on the new substantially changed lease as required by state statute. There was no public vote allowed. The total committed expenditure up at Fairfield Hills is now millions of dollars higher than the originally approved $20 million, and climbing. The actual committed, all-inclusive costs are so high that the town has resisted publishing an accounting of the expenditures for public scrutiny.

The Bee readers are certainly familiar with the Department of Environmental Protection’s orders to follow proper procedures at FFH. Despite Attorney Grogins statement to the contrary, the issues with hazardous removal were caused by the town trying to skirt many of the procedures required by law. All the voters need to do is read the letters from the DEP to understand why they are now monitoring Newtown.

Now the town has violated trust with the State Department of Labor (DOL). All current, past, and future activity will be under the scrutiny of the DOL because Newtown misled the state on the public/private nature of the various FFH projects. Again, all the readers of The Bee have to do is read the DOL letter sent to the town to understand the degree of breach of trust.

The leaders of Newtown’s government have been quick to respond by attacking those individuals who have challenged their questionable decisions.

The truth is when you skate on thin ice you are bound to fall in the icy water.

The end does not justify the means. We need our elected officials, and especially the town attorney, to make sure we are following the law and the spirit of the law. Our decision should hold up to scrutiny from all directions. Trying to find loopholes and ways to skirt the law is not the type of town government the voters of Newtown want.

If they can’t live up to that standard they should resign.

Bruce Walczak

Chairman

Independent Party of Newtown

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                               February 25, 2009