More Questions Than Answers Emerge About Military Base

By Kendra Bobowick

Disorganized and argumentative, the Board of Selectmen’s 2 pm meeting Wednesday welcoming representatives of two US senators and one congressman revealed few answers regarding a military base in town. The conversation revealed, however, confusion and a few surprises about where a military base might go, and who wants it.

For the first time the public was able to speak up. As resident Dottie Evans approached a map of Newtown propped in the corner of an Edmond Town Hall meeting room, she hoped to deter the military’s interest in the High and East Meadows, which slope upward along Wasserman Way before the entrance to Fairfield Hills appears on the left.

“May I interrupt?” asked First Selectman Joe Borst. “The Army has taken the High and East Meadows off the table.” The military in past months had approached the town with an interest to locate a training base per US Department of Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) standards.

Mr Borst’s remark was news to the other selectmen, and following conversation led to a lack of consensus.

“I wasn’t aware it was off the table until just now,” said Selectman Paul Mangiafico. From there the meeting quickly devolved before a gathering of residents, town officials from the Legislative Council, Economic Development Commission, Conservation Commission, state representative DebraLee Hovey, the Land Use Agency, the Board of Finance, the Planning and Zoning Commission, business owners, residents, invited guests representing Senator Christopher Dodd, Senator Joseph Lieberman, and Congressman Chris Murphy, and Newtown’s health department. Mr Borst later agreed that no proposal “was on the table.”

Mr Borst had sent a memo telling the military “No” to the High Meadow recently, and received verbal indication that they would no longer pursue the site, which he revealed Wednesday. Mr Mangiafico complained, “I was unaware that Fairfield Hills was off the table.”

Explaining himself, Mr Borst stated, “We should be getting a letter from them saying that.” Pressing his point, however, Mr Mangiafico said, “The Army asked that we consider [the High Meadow] and we said no. Then the Technology Park [was suggested] — they said no….”

In past month the Tech Park property off of Commerce Road, also accessible at the end of Trades Lane where the pavement tapers into a gravel path below the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, had emerged as an alternative location.

Mr Mangiafico pushed for an answer critical to continuing negotiations for a possible military training base location. “Now they’re not interested in the High Meadow. What are they interested in?” he asked.

“I believe, the Tech Park,” Mr Borst repeated.

“But, it’s not contiguous to the horse guard,” Mr Mangiafico noted, raising yet another point that needs clarification. The BRAC relocation terms specify that a proposed facility in Newtown must be adjacent to the horse property.

“It’s not,” Mr Borst agreed.

“I thought it had to be,” said Mr Mangiafico.

“So what [site] are we talking about?” Mr Mangiafico asked again. From Mr Borst: “The Tech Park, maybe.” He then raised yet one more point that got a mixed reaction from the selectmen and public.

Could the “adjacent” stipulation in BRAC guidelines be modified to free the military’s hands to consider the Batchelder property — a former smelting plant in Botsford that is now 31 acres of partially contaminated land known as a brownfield? Sparking another argument, Mr Borst said, “Then we could convince them that Batchelder is a good property.” He added, “They don’t want a brownfield, but I feel they’re cutting off their nose to spite their face.”

Angered, selectman Herb Rosenthal insisted, “You never discussed this with the Board of Selectmen,” revealing another problem that he sees with military negotiations, and with that day’s meeting. “You are presenting your opinion to the [senators’ and congressman’s] representatives. This is not the board’s position.”

It became clear at this point in the meeting that Senator Dodd’s representatives, Mark Stephanou and Lois Santiago, Congressman Murphy’s rep, Stephanie Podewell, and Frank Rowe from Senator Lieberman’s office may have been in town prematurely. The group was there ostensibly to offer collective support for Newtown’s decision — which does not yet clarify if or where the military will construct a training base in town.

“This meeting is informational,” Mr Borst insisted. Stepping in, Mr Stephanou reassessed his reasons for visiting Newtown this week. “We’re here to find out if the town is interested in a facility, and what options to explore and how we can be helpful. There needs to be a consensus.”

After a time, Mr Mangiafico said, “I want to apologize [to the representatives]. I am not even sure of the purpose of this meeting. I don’t see how we can ask for help from you if we don’t know what we want.” He later stated, “I think this meeting is premature.”

Making a second point, he said, “This is like an afternoon soap opera. It can go on forever.” Mr Mangiafico then voiced another critical point that Wednesday’s meeting uncovered. With a public vote on any future proposal in mind to establish a base in town, he said, “When we ask people if they agree with something, we have to define the question. There is no definition here.”

He turned and made specific requests of Mr Borst. “The Army [previously] came here of its own volition,” he said, noting that it first focused on Fairfield Hills parcels. “We issued an unequivocal no, and that’s our understanding.” The first request has not officially been replaced with the Army’s interest for another location, he said. “If they’re still interested in Newtown, they should say so … so I suggest to [Mr Borst] that we get their ‘No’ to Fairfield Hills in writing and ask if there are other interests.”

Hoping to sidestep additional arguments and move ahead, Mr Mangiafico said again that he would like decisions from the military in writing.

From The Public

Economic Development Commission Chairman Robert Rau spoke about the newest rendition of Technology Park possibilities — a property that has become relevant in military discussions. (See related Tech Park story this edition). Would a BRAC base locate onto land set aside for economic development? Conservation Commission Vice Chair George Ferguson reminded the selectmen, “We recommended against [a military base] at the Tech Park,” and for a host of reasons, he said.

Ms Wasserman asked about the land near Exit 9. Was that not feasible? In her past service as Newtown’s state representative she recalled that the military had approached her about locating here. “I did not feel Fairfield Hills would be suitable,” she had told them. She also suggested that they look at a 28-acre lot on the corner of Nunnawauk Road and Wasserman Way near Garner Correctional Facility.

Speaking as a resident, Board of Finance member Joseph Kearney stressed the need for collective decisions about a military base. “I agree we need to take something to the taxpayers.” Revealing much of the confusion, he said, “We don’t know the deal. What would we negotiate for?” Resident Kathy Fetchick had similar remarks, with an interest in finances: “We can’t make the decision unless we know the payback.”

Do people want a base in town? Do we turn them away in a bad economy? Would the training base actually boost foot traffic for small businesses such as the Black Swan on Route 25, as owner Mark Swan noted.

Mae Schmidle, former state representative to Newtown, believes the town should extend a welcome to the military. Others stressed, “Not in my backyard.” Mr Swan disagreed. “I think we need to be less [not in my back yard],” he said, suggesting a “give and take” with the military.

Ultimately, the meeting revealed only that much remains to be discussed. Per BRAC specifications, the Department of Defense has until 2011 to enact requirements, and as Mr Borst explained, they would need to break ground this year. The senators’ and congressman’s offices will receive copies of correspondence between Newtown and the military from now on.