Letters

Follow The Minutes, Not Workarounds

Published: May 14, 2026 3:41 pm

To The Editor:

The recent confusion surrounding the bonding approval item left off the referendum highlights the need for greater clarity around Newtown’s established procedures for capital projects. It seems some people were relying on workarounds rather than following official actions documented in the public record.

On February 4, the Legislative Council voted to send the High School HVAC updates to referendum, as required for a project of this size. On March 25, the Council approved the full resolution, including the specific bond language and financial impact statement. These materials were filed with the Town Clerk and are posted on the town website. The minutes of those meetings, available for public review, clearly document the Council’s actions and the list of projects approved for inclusion on the ballot.

Procedurally, after a project is included in the Capital Improvement Plan, the Finance Director submits bond language for these appropriations to the Legislative Council. The Council then reviews, debates, amends if necessary, and votes on the resolutions before directing them to referendum. The Council sends its approved minutes including the list of items for the ballot to the Town Clerk, who, under state statute (Sec. 9-369), is responsible for preparing and printing the ballot. While past practice may have involved more hands-on shepherding by the former Finance Director, the Legislative Council is the fiscal authority as Newtown’s elected legislative body. Everything prior to Council approval is advisory.

Regrettably, the appropriations approved by the Council were not all reflected in the final ballot. This was an unfortunate oversight. Neither the Council Chair, the Superintendent, Finance Director, nor those preparing the ballot caught the discrepancy despite its obvious inclusion the public minutes. When questions arise, the official minutes, rather than secondary emails or word of mouth, should serve as the authoritative record. That is why boards file and formally vote to approve minutes.

Section 6-10c of the Town Charter, which some have pointed to, addresses the informational flyer (usually printed in The Bee) rather than the ballot. I used to do the same as Ordinance Chair to warn legislative actions in accordance with the Charter. Finger-pointing is both unproductive and embarrassing as multiple parties had opportunities to verify ballot accuracy against the Council’s official actions.

As a former Legislative Council member, I care deeply about this issue because accurate public information about bonding decisions should flow from the Council itself, the body that debated the projects, set priorities, and exercised fiscal oversight.

Moving forward, a simple double-check against the Legislative Council’s minutes before finalizing ballots would prevent similar issues, the bare minimum responsibility to the residents who fund these projects.

Ryan Knapp

Sandy Hook

None

Vote To Support The Town And School Budgets

Questions For Commission </p><p>On Aging

We Can Support Our Children And Our Taxpayers

Discusses Budget Reductions

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Follow The Minutes, Not Workarounds

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