The Fairfield Hills Authority’s latest flirtation with economic development at the spacious campus home of Newtown’s seat of government hit a snag, as have so many of the other potential liaisons with commercial suitors that have come calling. US HealthVest, a developer of behavioral health facilities, had expressed interest in creating a 100-bed psychiatric hospital at Fairfield Hills. After three months of exploring that idea, however, the FHA chairman and HealthVest CEO announced late last month that the developer would be looking instead at other sites in Newtown for the facility. The sudden diversion, they said, was “in the interest of avoiding potential challenges the project might face” — a casual reference to emerging questions about the wisdom of having a mental health facility with its special security needs in an area that aspires to be a hub for public life and commerce.

Newtown’s economic development officials, who have been serving as de facto matchmakers for the community’s time-worn-dowager-of-a-property at Fairfield Hills, have been facing challenges of their own. In certain areas the campus is looking her age and somewhat isolated. To enhance that sagging profile, the town has included $3.5 million each year for the next three years in its Capital Improvement Plan for demolition projects at the campus, targeting those old hospital buildings tilting beyond rehabilitation. In explaining the value of the demolition expenditures late last year, First Selectman Pat Llodra noted, “Such improvement enhances the look of the campus and could interest investors that we’re moving ahead.” She acknowledged at the same time, however, that the movement was “incremental,” which in the emerging dating profile of Fairfield Hills suggests a desire to “take it slow in any new relationships.” To economic development advocates, the expected response would be: “How can the town go any slower than it already has in developing the commercial potential at Fairfield Hills? The town needs property tax relief now.”

Taking a broader view, however, we see that Newtown’s grand list of taxable property is growing despite the halting economic development efforts at Fairfield Hills. And fortunately, US HealthVest is still planning to come to town — just not to Fairfield Hills. In January, the town announced that $37 million in new assessments generated about $1 million in new tax revenue for the town. Yet even these encouraging numbers do not make a convincing case for settling for just any suitor who shows up at Fairfield Hills on bended knee with a proposal. That $37 million in new assessments on the grand list would be equivalent to a major development project at Fairfield Hills that would radically transform the sylvan look of the campus and greatly intensify its use, not to mention its traffic. But the impact on the property tax rate would be just one third of one mill — not quite what we would call property tax relief.

Our advice to the town and its Fairfield Hills Authority (and to that stately dowager on the hill) is simple. Don’t marry just for money. Consider all proposals carefully. Take your time. Wait for a good match.