Date: Fri 05-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

politics-Fetzer-Rosenthal

Full Text:

GENNEWS

Candidates List Favored Issues As Primary Approaches

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

With next week's primary rapidly approaching, Democrats Herb Rosenthal and

Gary Fetzer have announced their pet projects which they plan to follow

through on if elected first selectman.

Mr Rosenthal called for the removal of local "eyesores" - old buildings that

tend to detract from the character and value of the town. Mr Fetzer outlined

his idea to turn the former Batchelder property into an incubator site for

start-up businesses.

Mr Rosenthal said he is sick of all the vacant, sometimes burnt-out, buildings

around town. If elected first selectman, he has pledged to immediately begin

action to remove eyesores like the former Hi-Way Cleaners property on Church

Hill Road and the old Oberg gas station, also on Church Hill Road.

"There have been a number of half-hearted attempts to clean these up, but we

must now make a concerted effort to remove all eyesores as quickly as

possible," Mr Rosenthal explained.

The process would include identifying the eyesores; notification of property

owners that their property has been identified as an eyesore; due process

consideration of potential remedies initiated by property owners; and,

initiation of the removal process, including coordination with state agencies

where applicable.

The process, he said, would also include a public information campaign with

two goals. First, to keep the public apprised of action being taken against

identified sources, and second, prevention.

"The issue is one of many that has lingered because a lack of professionalism

of town government. Newtown residents work hard for every dollar they pay in

taxes and they have to know that each dollar will be maximized and well

spent," Mr Rosenthal said.

Incubator Site

Mr Fetzer believes it is unacceptable to merely put up a fence around the

contaminated Batchelder site on Swamp Road. Also, he said, attempting to get

the site to qualify for superfund financing from the federal government would

be difficult due to the high number of applicants and limited funding for the

program.

"What we need to do is identify each of the various pollutants and apply for

governmental financing to deal with individual components such as oil,

chemical or other contaminants. Once we have the contamination under control,

the next step is to get the site back producing both revenue and jobs for the

town," he said.

Because of its history and liability, the town would not be able to get fair

market value for the property, but, with state and federal funding, he

proposes the town create an incubator site for new businesses looking to get

off the ground.

As Mr Fetzer explained, business incubators encourage entrepreneurial

companies by allowing them to rent space at below market prices. Other

services, like copy, FAX, conference rooms, receptionist and phone systems

would be available for these strapped-for-cash companies.