Date: Fri 03-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Cascella-election-politics

Full Text:

Cascella Election Profile

WITH PHOTO

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

During an election, the onus is on the challenger; all an incumbent has to do

is look back on his term and exhibit his accomplishments, according to First

Selectman Bob Cascella. And that's exactly what he's been doing.

"We pledged we would stabilize taxes," said Mr Cascella. "We have kept that

tax increase down to one mill over two years while enhancing services. We

[also] started a capital reserve fund to offset future taxes."

Other ways in which the administration has conserved funds is through

privatization of payroll, road sweeping and construction, and by cutting one

town position to half-time and eliminating two positions, he said. "And we

have doubled the amount of outside lawn care maintenance. It is much more

cost-efficient in today's economy to hire outside contractors than to add

employees," he said.

Economic development, admitted Mr Cascella, is a much bigger task than he

thought it would be two years ago. He now serves as vice chairman of the

Housatonic Valley Economic Development Partnership. "It involves rezoning,

planning, gathering a lot of data - and you don't do that overnight," he said.

But he does feel his administration has accomplished steps to further economic

development in town during the past two years.

Part of this "forward movement" has been to address the eyesores, such as

removing the former White Birch on Church Hill Road, and completing the

interlocal sewer agreement with Danbury. Also, he has supported zoning changes

for the Sandy Hook Village Project. "And [community development director] Liz

Stocker, Planning and Zoning, Economic Development Commission, the Borough,

and I have been meeting with Joseph Kasper to discuss plans for the [Queen

Street] shopping center," he said.

The Housatonic Valley Economic Development Partnership has received a grant

for a major study of traffic and economic development on the Route 6 corridor,

said Mr Cascella. "This will take six to eight months to complete," he added.

Two new businesses have recently moved into Commerce Park, an area that Mr

Cascella emphasizes as a main area for further development. "We have a great

opportunity to work with the state and form a partnership for economic

development in the Commerce Road area. That's why we're looking at land off

Commerce Drive," said Mr Cascella. "It wouldn't take much to link Commerce

Road to the bypass and linking I-84, Route 34 and Route 25 would provide

access between these routes without going through town."

"I think the biggest issue facing Newtown in the next two years is Fairfield

Hills Hospital, not taxes, not traffic. It's the 650 acres in the center of

town," he said. He and Representative Julia Wasserman have been appointed to

the state's oversite committee addressing the disposition of Fairfield Hills

property. "We were on the task force which issued the report that we intend to

use as a foundation to build from," he said. "It's a good plan, not a Bible."

The incumbent said the "very basic things the town would like to see" include

buildings for use by the town and Board of Education administrative purposes,

education purposes (i.e. a school), and land acquisition or lease for economic

development. "And use the open space there for ball fields and green ways," he

added.

During the last election, Mr Cascella had also pledged to institute improved

business practices in town offices. They have implemented management training,

and have written a five-year capital road reconstruction plan. "We have been

meeting with a consulting firm for a full-blown technical study [of town

computer network needs]," said Mr Cascella. "The plan is for it to be a Board

of Education/municipal computer system."

A computer network between town offices should help coordinate services and

simplify steps, the incumbent said. For instance, "you should be able to go to

one place to file for a building permit."

The land use process has already become more user-friendly, according to Mr

Cascella, in that "P&Z and Conservation now hold informal meetings with

developers and walk the person through the process so when they do bring their

application in, it is ready ...and they are guaranteed the least amount of

time for processing because everything is in order."

The candidate said the town has made strides in public safety over the past

two years, including the adoption of a townwide emergency plan, hiring more

police who are better equipped and trained, and "enhancing" our volunteer fire

departments and ambulance corps.

Mr Cascella serves on the Substance Abuse Task Force. Also, he said his

administration and the police department have taken a "strong stand" on

speeding with Main Street as one of the key areas. He said he had made the

suggestion for "some kind of signalization" at the intersection of Church Hill

Road and Route 25, but that the other selectmen "thought otherwise."

Town roads are used by everyone , said the incumbent, and have to be

maintained. "We're investing twice as much this fiscal year than last. I want

that to stay in the budget."

Another capital project, expansion of the high school, is a "must" according

to Mr Cascella. "It is important to get this project going. The project is a

have-to, we have no choice. The Legislative Council and Board of Ed will work

this out with some input from the Board of Selectmen," he said.