Letters

A Community Thank You

Published: Jul 02, 2026 2:00 pm

To The Editor:

The Newtown Senior Center and Newtown Parks & Recreation extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make Newtown's 250th (Semiquincentennial) Celebration at Dickinson Park such a wonderful success.

Our sincere appreciation goes to Matt from the Newtown Community Center for coordinating the 250th Celebration committee meetings and helping bring so many community partners together. Thank you to First Selectman Bruce Walczak for his continued support of our community and for helping inspire Newtown's participation in this historic celebration.

We are especially grateful to Lin Hertberg for generously sponsoring the inflatable obstacle course, Cristina Trnik and her husband Michael for their beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, Bill Glass and The Newtown Bee for capturing the evening so beautifully, and the Al Fenton Big Band for providing outstanding music throughout the celebration.

Thank you to our incredible community partners, including the Rotary Club, Lions Club, EverWonder Children's Museum, the Cultural Arts Commission, the Newtown Community Center, and Friends of Newtown Seniors. Your enthusiasm, creativity, and generosity created a memorable evening for residents of all ages.

Most importantly, thank you to the hundreds of community members who joined us to celebrate Newtown's rich history and bright future. Your participation, smiles, and community spirit made the evening truly special.

This celebration was a wonderful reminder that the strength of Newtown lies in its people and in the partnerships that bring our community together. We are grateful to everyone who contributed their time, talents, and support, and we look forward to celebrating together for many years to come.

Amy Mangold

Newtown Parks & Recreation

& Natalie Griffith

Newtown Senior Center

None

It’s Not Too Late To Recognize The Importance Of 2026

Discusses Song And Our Country

Higher Property Taxes Are Not the Answer

Newtown Bridge Club Grateful For Success Of Event

This should have been printed as XXVII in case you would like to redo your calculations.

Elections Have Consequences XXVI

It is actually XXVII - 27. There was a misprint in the title.

With the publication of installment No. 26, Trump’s Triumphs has now consumed enough broadsheet paper—approximately 3.6 miles—to stretch from the center of Newtown, past the dump, and nearly to Sand Hill Plaza. That is the amount of paper used to print these 26 installments alone. Do you think they will stop before we get to Monroe? If Trump becomes 48 in 28 then we would make the sound for sure!

Dave, you are right that only those in the Borough signed onto the law suits, as it was made clear during the Borough meetings that signers had to be residents of the Borough. However, as you know, there was a concerted effort by the Newtown Conservation Coalition to organize people (throughout town) and to orchestrate actions intended to foil the overall development. If one searches the Bee for “Newtown Conservation Coalition” one will find many articles and editorials that cite the coalition. More that 18 of those articles and editorials, from March 2024 through February 2025, are about the Castle Hill Development and include direct quotes from the NCC head/founder including, e.g.,: 1) Newtown Conservation Coalition founder Dave Ackert has sagely urged his fellow NCC members to “stick to the relevant regulations issues and concerns in your testimony,” as “general opinions and concerns will not be considered when making their decision." [https://www.newtownbee.com/08292024/borough-zoning-to-begin-20-60-castle-hill-public-hearing." [https://www.newtownbee.com/08292024/borough-zoning-to-begin-20-60-castle-hill-public-hearing] 2) “We’re being sold a lot of things,” said Ackert. “The developer said he is going above and beyond in preserving open space, but the only part [of the plan] that doesn’t have houses are the steep slopes. He’s not avoiding buildable land, he’s using every buildable inch.” [https://www.newtownbee.com/09272024/borough-zoning-hears-perspectives-on-castle-hill-development] In addition to the articles and editorials, you (Dave) also wrote over 8 letters related to the development, in essence speaking for the residents, e.g., saying “On behalf of hundreds of concerned residents living within 500 feet who signed protest petitions, and residents downstream who’s property and finances could also be negatively impacted, I ask the BOS to rescind the discontinuance decision now.” [https://www.newtownbee.com/07102025/discusses-rochambeau-trail-and-6-commerce-road] The main tools for the Newtown Conservation Coalition are FOI complaints and legal action. These actions have increased the amount both the Town and the Borough have had to pay for legal counsel over the last few years. The cost is shared by all households and businesses for Town actions. Unfortunately, it is shared by very few, relatively speaking, for Borough actions. This year’s Borough costs are $58,000 to date. There were FOIA/legal actions in 2024 and 2025 too. Eventually, we will all see if that was money well spent. My sense is that the answer is no.

What’s Going On In The Borough?

my concern is not limited to this single FOIA request or this one case. It is the broader pattern of obstructionism, fear-mongering, and personal nastiness reflected in your Facebook page and other public commentary. You routinely call people to action by presenting only one side of complicated issues, assigning the worst possible motives to those who disagree with you, and giving little consideration to the legitimate concerns or perspectives on the other side. That may generate outrage and attention, but it does not make you a constructive participant in Newtown’s civic affairs. You are entitled to question public officials and pursue whatever legal remedies are available to you. But you should not pretend that your own conduct, rhetoric, and repeated escalation of disputes have played no role in the hostility and expense surrounding these matters. Newtown would be a nicer and more productive community with less of this kind of divisive behavior.

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A Community Thank You

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