An Early Campaign

Emerges From Fairfield Hills Debate

By Kendra Bobowick

People are already talking about elections, candidates, and politicians. These topics do not usually come up until late summer, but in 2007 it is already a spring thing.

There is also talk about a lawsuit filed against the town in late 2006 by business owner Matthew DeAngelis, who also has launched a blog (web log) of his opinions and commentary regarding town officials, projects, spending, and specifically, Fairfield Hills redevelopment.

He has also established a Political Action Committee (PAC) called 4Newtown. In a January 24 blog entry on the website InsideNewtown.com he wrote, “I have reached the point where I am convinced that Newtown has two political parties that act like one. I am further convinced that they are not acting in the best interests of those who elected them. If we can’t get them to do what’s right we need to replace them.

“It is for this reason that I filed the papers yesterday for a Political Action Committee.”

Are these efforts leading to November?

This week, Mr DeAngelis answered, “Of course they are.”

Mr DeAngelis took his initiative one step further Wednesday by filing a petition with the Legislative Council requesting the panel reopen and reconsider the scope and powers of the Fairfield Hills Authority. (See related story.)

Since his website and lawsuit began, Mr DeAngelis said that people are talking and asking questions.

“That’s fantastic,” he said. Offering his perspective, Mr DeAngelis said, “Some want to paint this as [Mr DeAngelis] vs [First Selectman Herb Rosenthal] but I think this is the people vs the politicians.” 4Newtown is seeking candidates for local offices, which also is mentioned on the website.

What sounds like a campaign may actually be a campaign for Mr DeAngelis as 2007 — a municipal election year — begins. He said, “I guess I do have a campaign going, not for a person, but as a campaign on issues.” In past months Mr DeAngelis has pushed to maintain a public scrutiny on Fairfield Hills, which he has recently conceded is political.

Considering whether his website, Insidenewtown.com, which also emerged in late 2006, is a campaign move, he said, “Is it an early issues campaign? I guess it is. Is it a Matt DeAngelis campaign? It is not.”

Regarding the website, he said, “To me Insidenewtown.com is a campaign with a small c, not a big c.”

Also representing Friends of Newtown, the site presents criticisms of Newtown government officials and projects.

Among other phrases suggesting political intentions is a recent entry Mr DeAngelis placed on the site that states, “I sure wish this was an election year…it is? Terrific.”

Mr DeAngelis explained this and other statements saying, “I don’t think it’s a secret what I am trying to do — the government of Newtown is broken.”

 

Talking Politics

Other players in the political arena are responding.

Republican Town Committee (RTC) Chairman Chuck Stofko stated his party’s case.

“The Republican Town Committee is trying to clean up what is rhetoric from what is fact,” he said. “We have a campaign coming up and the Republicans are committed to finding solutions.” He believes the rhetoric surrounds Fairfield Hills.

Mr Stofko said, “I think [Mr Rosenthal] can do a better job of conveying the details of Fairfield Hills and tying those details together so the community understands what’s going on — that’s part of his charge and that is the goal of a transparent government.” Residents’ questions deserve answers, Mr Stofko said.

Many of Mr DeAngelis’s criticisms are firmly rooted in Fairfield Hills plans and spending. During a recent Legislative Council meeting held in early February, unofficial counts of between 250 and 400 residents attended and many expressed their concerns for the Fairfield Hills project.

Months ago Mr DeAngelis’s lawsuit, which is still in court, demanded that the spending and project be stopped.

More recently other residents and some officials in town have also begun to question Fairfield Hills spending in light of other looming expenses such as the high school expansion, for example. Specifically, Mr Stofko said, “Questions deserve to be answered.”

Referring to the council meeting, Mr Stofko interpreted Mr Rosenthal’s statement’s negatively. He said, “The first selectman basically said, ‘I don’t care if [Fairfield Hills] costs me the election.’ A lot of people objected to the ‘I don’t care if it costs me the election,’ attitude.” He continued, “I think [Mr Rosenthal] can do better.” He asserted that part of Mr Rosenthal’s charge is to help people understand details of what is happening at Fairfield Hills.

Mr Rosenthal believes his position and comments at the council meeting have been misinterpreted.

He said, “Actually, it’s an ‘I do care,’ attitude.” Summarizing a phrase he has heard in the past, Mr Rosenthal said, “What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right.”

Aware of opposition, he said, “I can bow to political pressure, and if I do I am disenfranchising voters of the past.” Again focusing on Fairfield Hills, he said, “It has been in the planning for a long time and at this point in time I am going to follow through.” Following the February council meeting, Mr Rosenthal said, “It became clear that an overwhelming majority [of council members] concluded we should move ahead in the direction we are going and I think I am in line with the council and Board of Selectmen on this.”

Fairfield Hills looms in the coming campaign season.

Mr Stofko said, “We have a campaign coming up and the Republicans will be committed to finding solutions…not a lot of people understand what is going on. I am not seeing clear communication and not seeing a lot of effort to connect the information so people can understand.”

He continued, “There are people who want to know what’s going on and the [Legislative Council] meeting is evidence of that.” People are frustrated, he said.

“The Republican Town Committee will be working hard to provide electors solutions and alternatives…this is critical and we can do better and that’s the heart of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Mr Stofko offered his point of view.

“In my opinion the problem is a lack of clear and effective communication by the first selectman.”

Making A Distinction

Among those also questioning the first selectman is Mr DeAngelis. Mr Stofko is not aligning himself with Mr DeAngelis, but does not deny similarities between some of his own and the local business owner’s observations.

Mr Stofko said only, “It is interesting and it is out there in the public domain.”

Via email he clarified, “The RTC’s purpose as defined in our rules is to get Republicans elected and one of the ways we do that is by making an argument. The fact that someone else in town is making an argument can serve the RTC’s purpose is true.”

Making a distinction, Mr Stofko stressed that although he may agree with some statements from both Mr DeAngelis and also with Mr Rosenthal, “that does not align me” with either man, he said. 

In past weeks Mr DeAngelis was involved in an incident that prompted a retraction of an invitation for Mr DeAngelis to serve as committee member Richard Simon’s alternate.

Who is the Republican candidate?

Mr Stofko was unable to point to a particular person this early in the year saying, “A candidate at this time is all speculation; no one has definitively said, ‘I want to run.’” Mr Stofko has also heard discussions, rumors, and speculations where one Republican name, Paul Mangiafico, emerged.

Addressing Board of Education member Mr Mangiafico’s possible candidacy, Mr Stofko said, “Paul is a great guy, he has been approached by people and would make an excellent candidate.” He does not believe the education board member is interested, he said. Mr Mangiafico has also said it is too early to say whether or not he is considering running.

With a broader perspective on elections, Mr Rosenthal said, “I think I am elected to carry out policies of the Board of Selectmen and carry out the wishes of the voters to date and that is what I think I have done.” Every two years voters can evaluate that, he said.

With campaigning and politics in mind, Mr DeAngelis has admitted that his actions have likely drowned his political career, in his opinion, but he is not opposed to lending support to a campaign or even serving as a campaign manager.

“I could speak out and try to facilitate with a check, but a campaign manager? No one has asked me,” he said.

Insidenewtown.com emerged on the heels of a civil lawsuit he filed days after Thanksgiving. The lawsuit is an action against the town and various officials claiming a violation of the plaintiff’s (Mr DeAngelis) rights.

Essentially the suit argues that the Fairfield Hills project is proceeding without residents’ approval. Through the suit he seeks to stop further action and spending for the Fairfield Hills projects. In 2001 a town meeting vote approved the appropriation of roughly $21 million in bonded funds to purchase and prepare for reuse 186 acres of the then state-owned Fairfield Hills campus. Currently, the Fairfield Hills Authority is overseeing the implementation of a master plan of development for the site to include recreation and municipal uses. The authority is also proceeding to attract outside developers interested in leasing space to establish small corporate offices, restaurants, and retail space, for example.