A Show Of Disrespect

By CURT CLARK

Published: May 30, 2008 12:00 am

To the Editor:

I am disappointed in the conduct displayed by the former first selectman at the May 19 Board of Selectman meeting.

As promised during the campaign, Joe Borst had a very capable man study the Fairfield Hills redevelopment plan. Recognizing that his running mate was not an ally, I believe Mr Borst was forced to rethink his decision to publicize the findings from this study. It seems Mr Borstâs goal was to work collaboratively with the selectmen in addressing the FFH issues rather than imposing his own concept for Fairfield Hills.

The study that was generated will be shocking to many because it indicates that the FFH redevelopment plan was not thoroughly thought out. Many items were left out of the plan (perhaps intentionally to keep the cost down). However, we do know that FFH redevelopment plan will cost the taxpayers significantly more than expected.

Mr Borst, now recognizing the reality that the town could be faced with significant additional costs, sent copies of the study to the other selectmen asking the former first selectman specifically to provide information regarding several questions generated by the author of the study. Rather than focusing on the content of the information he just received (which highlighted several significant omissions in the Master Plan for Fairfield Hills and the new town hall), Mr Rosenthal focused on not having received the study sooner.

Mr Rosenthal then proceeded to chastise the first selectman in front of many citizens, showing great disrespect for a position he once held. His tirade was exhibited in front of representatives from the Iroquois company, a Clean Energy Group, the Lake Zoar Authority, a Lake Zoar boating club, the town lawyer, employees of the Town of Newtown, several members of the Legislative Council, and citizens. From his perspective, belittling the first selectman was more important than determining whether the reported omissions in estimates produced by the study had any validity.

If not receiving the study sooner was a problem for Mr Rosenthal, he should have expressed his displeasure to the first selectman privately and concentrated on the substance of the study at the meeting. The citizens of Newtown deserve a government that works together for their ultimate welfare with cooperation and unity in their decisions. If rude and disrespectful displays, as the one I witnessed at the Board of Selectmen meeting, continue, I would expect that Mr Rosenthal would resign his position to someone willing to work collaboratively with the newly elected first selectman. I want the Board of Selectmen to work for the greater good of Newtown.

Mr Borst made a sound decision in seeking advice to reevaluate the FFH redevelopment plan. I expect Mr Rosenthal to cooperate completely with Mr Borst to fully review the FFH redevelopment plan and identify if the current course of action is financially prudent for Newtown. It is time for our town leaders to provide us with the real cost of redeveloping FFH and allow the citizens of Newtown to participate in the process.

A.P. Roznicki

169 Hanover Road, NewtownÂ 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 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â May 28, 2008

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My darling, You were the best GRANDmother a child could ask for. You created so many great memories & traditions that I have passed down to your Great grandchildren. You brought joy into every room you stepped into. Your laughter, singing, whistling and the signature Rockettes high kicks, is something I will always hold in my heart. There was something about walking into your home and being greeted by your beautiful face. *kiss on each check* followed by HELLOOOOOO Darling! The classical music playing softly in the background and your love and comfort made your home, a safe space. Somewhere, where love knew no boundaries. It was so much more than a home. I aim for the same in my home, and play the classic music 24/7, but it will never be the same. I pray I can be 1/4 of GRAND, you put in GRANDmother. You were so resilient. You found the positive in every situation. I look up to you so much. I remember begging Mom and Dad for years to change my name to “Carmen”. They didn’t officially change my name, but eventually started calling me “Carmenita” as I am a little you. THE HONOR. You were there for me, no matter the day or hour. You were always the one who would talk me through whatever hard situation I was going through. When my baby passed away, I refused to talk to anyone for 3 weeks. Except for you. You said to me “Better days are coming, babes. There’s always a rainbow after the storm”. Of course, you were right, because you are GRAND. I picture you in heaven dancing and laughing with him. Uncle Jay playing the money game with him. To know you are with your children again & with mine does bring me some joy. Twas the night before Christmas & New Year’s Eve, will never be the same. Another tradition you created. A memory that will last forever. Not just with me, but for generations to come. It may not be the same, but we won’t let it die. It will live on, in your name. To be your first GRANDchild was a blessing. I could write an entire book about you & all the amazing things about you. Even though we were robbed of time together & it makes me angry, I know I will see you again. This isn’t a goodbye, but a “see you later”. Just like we ended every phone call. Ciao, darling. I love you. MWAH MWAH! Love your GRANDchild, Kimberly aka Carmenita

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Unfortunately, I think this is likely to get worse, not better... Based on both public comments and private conversations, I’m increasingly concerned that our newly elected First Selectman intends not just to install these cameras, but to expand their use for full-blown enforcement and fines. Try getting a straight answer out of him about the long-term plan and you quickly realize how vague the responses become. Tyler is absolutely right to raise the privacy issue. These systems don’t just “catch speeders” — they quietly build a database of where we drive, when we drive, and who is in our vehicles. Once that infrastructure is in place, it becomes very easy to justify expanding its scope: more cameras, more locations, more uses, and eventually more automated enforcement. If Newtown is going down this road, residents deserve clear, written answers to some basic questions before anything is expanded: What limits will be placed on how and where cameras are used? Will footage and plate data be used only for speed enforcement, or for other investigations too? How long will data be stored, and who can access it? What safeguards will prevent vendors and individuals from abusing this information? Without firm, enforceable rules in place, “just a few cameras to slow traffic” can turn into something very different over time. I support safe roads — but not at the cost of unchecked surveillance and vague promises from our leaders. You try getting straight answers out of our First Selectman, myself and others have not been able to...

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I had to hold back a laugh at the idea that 7:30 pm is apparently such a late-night hardship that we’re already talking about moving meetings earlier. For a lot of residents, 7:30 is the earliest they can realistically get to Town Hall after work, family obligations, and the rest of real life. Shifting BOS meetings to 7:00 might make the calendar look tidier for those in the building, but it makes participation harder for the people who pay for the building. If the new First Selectman’s week is already booked solid and evening meetings feel like a strain, that’s not a reason to move the goalposts on public access—it's a reminder that the job is supposed to be demanding. Public service means accommodating the public, even when it’s inconvenient.

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Real people were just in a frightening car accident. To immediately frame their misfortune as rhetorical ammunition against new housing — affordable housing included — feels less like concern for “health and safety” and more like opportunistically using a scary moment to support a pre-existing position. If we’re going to debate this proposal, we should do it honestly: with data on traffic volume, accident history, engineering recommendations, and the town’s housing needs, not by seizing on a single crash as proof that 300 apartments are inherently unsafe. Newtown deserves a thoughtful, fact-based conversation about growth, safety, and affordability — one that doesn’t turn other people’s bad day into a political talking point.

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To add context that did not occur at the meeting would not be an accurate representation of the meeting and would, in fact, be editorializing to shape public opinion. The editorial staff here do not consider ourselves to be final arbiters of what the truth is (and if we did, it would make us partisan and biased), and we would need to provide a source for any dissenting information (sourcing all information in an article is literally Journalism 101). There were no such sources present at the meeting in question, and so it would not be appropriate to include such information in an article about the meeting. Dissenting voices appear in meeting stories when there were active participants with dissenting opinions, such as during public participation or the words of a council member who disagreed. It should be noted that the Interfaith Council, like many local boards and commissions, conduct meetings that are open to the public. This was not an article on the actions of the Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, or on immigrants, or on ICE's actions in the community, where including other voices or perspectives would be appropriate. We appreciate your opinion, but we stand by our meeting coverage and consider this discussion closed.

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A Show Of Disrespect

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