Problems And Solutions At FFH

By CURT CLARK

Published: May 16, 2008 12:00 am

To the Editor:

Our leaders insisted the town should act as developers of Fairfield Hills and businesses would flock to utilize the old buildings. Seven years later, one building, Newtown Hall, has been leased and the Newtown Youth Academy (NYA) is under construction by a private individual.

Problem #1: Our leaders have committed $10.5 million to convert Bridgeport Hall into a town hall. Problem #2: They have contracted to provide utilities and parking to the Newtown Youth Academy by its planned opening date, November 1. Problem #3: They have contracted to provide utilities and parking to Newtown Hall, leased to Hawley Realty. Problem #4: They have run out of money; $1.5 million remains from the sale of the homes on Mile Hill South. Estimates predict they need $1â2 million for the demolition of Greenwich Hall and construction of parking spaces and $4-6 million for utilities and time is running out.

Solving the problems: They have considered: 1. Have a private party utilize cheap labor to demolish Greenwich House and construct the required parking for the town hall, baseball field, and NYA in order to avoid the law known as the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires municipalities to pay prevailing wages for projects exceeding $400,000. The town would then lease back the parking lot. 2. Ask P&Z to revisit the approval of the NYA and increase the amount of land for the NYA and have that owner build the needed parking facilities and the town would lease the parking lot from him. 3. Assign the Highway Department to do the trenching for the utilities loop; have the Sewer Authority provide much of the funding needed, but that still doesnât provide all the needed money. 4. Default on their contractual agreements.

Solutions: #1. Our leaders could use portions of the $10.5 million reserved for the new town hall and rush to build the required parking spaces by November 1. #2. They could ask citizens for more money, or #3 they could propose several solutions and allow the citizens to vote. Donât count on that one.

Our town needs new leaders for FFH and a realistic plan that includes long-term planning based on a solid cost/benefit analysis. The New York Times recently reported that the high school graduating Class of 2008 is the largest ever produced in the US. Twenty-five or 30 years from now we must plan for not only a new high school, but also more municipal facilities. If not at FFH, where will the land be found?

The day of reckoning has come.

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â May 14, 2008

The Way We Were

Cindi Broughton

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Top Of The Mountain

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Congratulations on your nomination. In your announcement, you mentioned that Newtown faces real pressures, including “traffic patterns that make everyday life more stressful.” One growing concern for many residents and business owners is the repeated traffic disruption on Main Street caused by large-scale protests and rallies at the flagpole — held without a unified permitting process. Given that Main Street is a state road with a history of serious traffic and pedestrian safety issues, how would you, as First Selectman, approach the impact of these gatherings on traffic flow, public safety, and local businesses? I ask this with sincere interest in understanding how your commitment to “thoughtful planning” and “unity of action” would apply to this very real and recurring issue.

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I appreciate Ryan’s thoughtful and grounded perspective on the need for a consistent, transparent, and lawful permitting process for large public events in Newtown. His approach reflects common sense within the framework of the law, balancing public safety, free expression, and fiscal responsibility—exactly what we should expect from our elected officials. In contrast, I was struck by Bruce Walczak’s comment suggesting that informal and "extensive discussion" are the preferred solutions to complex public issues. While there is certainly value in dialogue, the idea that decision-making should replace the thoughtful legislative process is troubling—especially coming from someone running for First Selectman.

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I am grateful to The Democratic Town committee. I can vouch for the careful consideration they took in selecting our candidates. I appreciate their confidence in my managing skills to address the many issue facing Newtown. Ill be conducting listening tours over the next few months to gain a deeper understanding of my Newtown neighbors concerns and will be ready to address then day one.

There has been a rash of dog attacks, at least three that I know about on the sidewalks in town. Owners of pets need to be more attentive and respectful of their neighbors. Aggressive dogs need to be watched carefully to protect all. This is a serious issue and should be addresses not swept under a rug.

We Need A First Selectman Who Cares

I attended the meeting, and the results were reached after extensive discussion. Thats why its important to attend these high profile meeting, you see the facts yourself, As Alex, in the following letter, said the solution is not always more rules and legislation. Speaking to each other often solves issue a lot quicker with more flexibility.

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Problems And Solutions At FFH

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