Dividing The Vote

For Fairfield Hills

To the Editor,

After reading the article in last week’s edition of The Newtown Bee entitled “A Central Park For Newtown,” I felt betrayed. I was part of this group of “Save Fairfield Hills for Newtown.” Many of the phone calls to those that signed this petition were in favor of some form of commercial development at Fairfield Hills. These people recognized the basic facts that new town offices, senior and youth centers, ball fields, hiking, and other recreational facilities for our growing youth, etc., cannot be done without outside revenue supplied by some form of corporate development. I believe the Fairfield Hills advisory committee headed by Michel Floros presented a well balanced plan for the use of Fairfield Hills including municipal, recreational, and commercial development to the Selectmen and the Legislative Council.

This latest article entitled “A Central Park For Newtown” indicated an average cost to the tax payer of $101 per year, or as later stated, as much as $180 per year. It also is misleading in assuming the State will pay for the removal of hazardous material from these buildings. Can the average taxpayer or those on fixed incomes in Newtown accept this additional taxation (per year) because of a few who are against any form of commercial development as part of Fairfield Hills? I strongly believe this group called “Save Fairfield Hills for Newtown” will divide and jeopardize the final vote by Newtown voters on the acceptance of Fairfield Hills from the State of Connecticut.

The Legislative Council should be listening now to all prospects of potential developers of the commercial development as part of Fairfield Hills so the public will have an idea of what is being offered, and know what the advantages and disadvantages are of each plan. Let’s stop the in-fighting on this council, make some decisions, and work with the Board of Selectmen to start reaching some final direction.

On the statement of additional traffic from Danbury to Fairfield Hills, the statement that exiting at exit 9 is ridiculous. If I were driving to Fairfield Hills from Danbury, I would leave Route 84 at exit 11 on Wasserman Way and avoid three red lights, and 30 mph through the center of Newtown.

Wasserman Way did not increase traffic on Queen Street. This bypass road has always been there. Blame instead the modernization of the Queen Street shopping center, and the many more residents in town due to the 200 or more new homes being built every year in our beautiful town. Keep in mind, many of these new residents work outside the Town of Newtown.

Sincerely,

Donald L. Ferris

62 Apple Blossom Lane, Newtown         June 26, 2000