Date: Fri 05-Dec-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Rosenthal-inaugural-speech

Full Text:

(text of Herb Rosenthal's inaugural speech, given November 30, 1997)

Judge Lavery, Judge Hall, Madame Town Clerk, Chairman Smith, Chairman

Sturdevant, fellow elected officials, family members, friends, thank you for

being part of this ceremony. I am sure that I speak for all of the elected

officials in expressing appreciation for the support shown by your presence.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new administration. Let me begin by

congratulating everyone who has taken the oath of office. From July until

November 4 we were Democrats and Republicans working hard to get elected. Now,

we are all on the same side as public servants. Your willingness to serve is

what I admire most, and I look forward to working with you to achieve our

common goal, serving the people of Newtown to the best of our abilities. My

door and my mind will be open to your ideas and suggestions for ways to

improve our local government. I will also be available to help each of you in

any way that I can. All you need to do is ask.

The theme of our campaign concerned preserving the character of Newtown. I

want to take a few moments to outline five goals that were presented during

the fall that not only will preserve the character, but also will improve the

quality of life in our town:

1) Elimination of eyesores. We have already had a preliminary meeting and will

begin immediately by appointing an action task force to move ahead on the

first two buildings that we identified, the former cleaners and former Texaco

station on Church Hill Road. Our goal will be to remove at least one building

each year.

2) Future uses for Fairfield Hills. I am pleased to report that I had a very

productive meeting with Representative Wasserman and Richard Nuclo of the

Office of Policy Management, the chairman of the Fairfield Hills Oversight

Committee. Mr Nuclo promised that the state will hold public hearings in

Newtown in the spring to listen to our opinions and review recommendations

from Arthur Anderson, the firm performing the marketing and disposition study

for the main campus buildings and 300 acres to the south of the by-pass road.

3) Residential development. I have had preliminary discussions and will be

meeting with the chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission to discuss

hiring an attorney who specializes in land use issues, use of planning

consultants, and the formation of an ad hoc committee to work with P&Z in a

supportive capacity.

4) Condition of Town Hall South. This problem will be considered as part of a

larger assessment of office space needs for the town, including Board of

Education administrative offices. My personal view is that it will be more

convenient for the public to centralize town offices on Main Street and also

will be better from a management perspective.

5) Review of Public Works. I will propose a management study to review the

operations of the public works department with the possibility of

restructuring it, including consolidation of the maintenance of all municipal

and school properties.

There is one last objective that I hope to accomplish. That is to break down

the division that has always existed in Newtown and other communities between

the municipal and education branches of government. Rather than being divided,

we all need to endeavor in concert to provide the most cost effective and

efficient use of taxpayer dollars. In so doing, we all need to remember that

of all our obligations there is nothing more important for local government

than educating the next generation.

Achieving these objectives will take much effort, and I am prepared to work

hard for these goals, but each of us has a role and I will need your help and

guidance.