An Opportunity For Newtown

By MELISSA MASON

Published: May 30, 2001 12:00 am

To the Editor:

Newtown is presented with a unique opportunity on June 6 to vote on two resolutions which are critically important for the townâs future. The Board of Education has done an excellent job of documenting the need for the 5/6 school to solve overcrowding in the middle school and elementary schools. I also want to compliment them for coordinating the school project with the townâs efforts to acquire Fairfield Hills and for their support in that endeavor.

Last week, Councilman Donald Studley and I concluded our negotiations with representatives of the State of Connecticut and signed âNegotiated Terms and Conditions of Sale, Fairfield Hills.â The highlights of that agreement are as follows:

Purchase price of $3.9Â million.

100,000 gallons per day â $1 million of free sewer capacity

The firehouse/laundry building and approximately four acres added to the 185 acres and buildings in the original offer.

Trades Lane and Old Farm Road from its intersection with Trades Lane to the west will become town roads.

State Office of Policy & Management and State Department of Public Works will support the townâs application to the Department of Environmental Protection for a âCovenant Not to Sueâ from the DEP.

State will transfer rights for the Fairfield Hills Water Co. to the town and will purchase water from the town.

Town will create $200,000 conservation fund with The Pootatuck Club for aquifer protection and conservation.

Town will purchase environmental insurance.

Town maintains the right to negotiate additional sewer capacity in the future.

Subsequently, the Board of Selectmen and Legislative Council both unanimously approved a bonding resolution to fund capital projects including the purchase of Fairfield Hills. The projects include municipal and school offices in Shelton House, playing fields at Newtown High School and approximately seven fields at Fairfield Hills, code updates at Edmond Town Hall, demolition and abatement of up to eight buildings at Fairfield Hills, and other costs associated with the purchase of Fairfield Hills. The items are covered in the âFairfield Hills Campus Proposed Work Program and Cost Estimatesâ prepared by Harrall Michalowski Associates, Inc., dated May 21, 2001. This plan and the âNegotiated Terms and Conditions of Saleâ are available at the library, first selectmanâs office, and on the Economic Development Commission Web site, www.newtown.org/FHH.

The Legislative Council wisely included funding in the debt service of the annual budget just approved so that the future financial impact of the bonding and operations of the Fairfield Hills related projects will be approximately an additional 8/10 of a mill spread over the next three years. The financial impact will be reduced by any future revenue produced at the site.

The Board of Selectmen and I have committed to a process for the master plan required by Planning & Zoning regulations for redevelopment of Fairfield Hills. The process will include public input and forums as well as Legislative Council and town meeting approvals before submission to the Planning & Zoning Commission for their final approval process.

The most important consideration in purchasing Fairfield Hills, the geographic heart of our community, is that these 189 acres plus the over 100 acres of former FHH land that we already own or shortly will own allows us to control our own destiny. We will determine what happens rather than being at the mercy of the state or a developer who purchases the property from the state. I urge voters to put the townâs future first and vote for both resolutions Wednesday, June 6, at 7:30 at Newtown High School auditorium.

Sincerely,

Herbert C. Rosenthal

Selectman

45 Main Street, NewtownÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â May 30, 2001

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The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

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Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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An Opportunity For Newtown

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