Date: Fri 10-Apr-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

council-Studley-Rodgers

Full Text:

Council's Two "Solid Sophomores" Are Making An Impact

(with cut)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Just over a year ago, the Legislative Council was hit with the sudden

resignations of its chairman and another member. In its effort to replace the

open seats, council members quickly appointed Republicans Will Rodgers and

Donald Studley.

Right away, the two men established themselves as strong leaders, and other

members say the benefits have been paying off for the council ever since.

They are not part of the freshman class -- that distinction belongs to new

members Peggy Baiad, Tim Holian, Ed Lucas and Brian White -- but they might be

considered more like solid sophomores.

Mr Studley may have been new to the council when he first arrived in March,

1997, but he was already well versed in the town's finances, having served as

town auditor for 16 years. A partner in the accounting firm Studley, White &

Associates, Mr Studley, 51, is a much-needed "numbers guy" on the council.

Mr Rodgers, an attorney, runs the Sugarbrook Law Center from his home at 208

Hattertown Road, in the heart of the Hattertown Historic District. He recently

took over the chairmanship of the council's ordinance committee and is already

leading the charge to change the way the council creates its laws.

"As chairman of the Legislative Council, I am delighted to have people like

Don and Will on board," said council chairman Pierre Rochman. "They're both

thinking people with a lot of experience in government in the past."

Mr Studley, of 39 Deep Brook Road, served on the Charter Revision Commission

during the mid-1970s. That board made some major changes in the way the town

is run, eliminating the town-meeting form of government, creating a

legislative council and forming the position of finance director.

Mr Rodgers, 38, was actively involved in the Hattertown Historic District.

While Mr Studley brings more of a numbers background to the council's work, Mr

Rodgers provides an attorney's perspective.

As Mr Rochman points out, both men agreed on most of the council's major

issues over the past 12 months, an interesting fact, since both tend to look

at issues from two different angles.

"Don is the fiscal one. Will is less fiscal and more logic," Mr Rochman

explained.

Mr Studley's suggestion that the town sell its tax liens to offset increasing

costs this past winter was a key aspect in the council's ability to keep the

tax rate increase to just one mill. Mr Studley arrived on the scene last year

at the tail end of the budget process. It was during this budget season that

he really made an impact.

"The budget process is very time consuming, especially for the finance

committee," Mr Studley said. "Overall, the council spends a lot of time trying

to understand the budget and to put forward an acceptable budget."

Council members say Mr Studley manages to keep everyone on the straight and

narrow with his cool-headedness and fiscal conservatism. When he talks, people

always seem to nod their head in agreement, noted council member Karen Blawie.

"I think I bring a unique perspective in that I was the town auditor for 16

years," Mr Studley said.

One council member praised Mr Studley for his "apolitical financial eye."

The 28-year Newtown resident is married, and he and his wife, Margaret, have

four daughters: Maura, Elizabeth, Sarah and Katie.

Ordinance Work

As chairman of the ordinance committee, Mr Rodgers had the difficult task last

week of making the motion not to accept New Lebbon and Washbrook Roads as

scenic roads. One council member described his explanation of why the

applications should not be approved to be like a summation to a jury: clear,

concise and eloquent, not to mention convincing.

"He did an excellent job. He spoke to it so well that his motion was

justified," Mrs Blawie said.

Mr Rodgers also made a bold move in February, recommending that the ordinance

committee make a major overhaul to the way it creates its ordinances. He

pointed to the most recent ordinances created by the council, all of which

have been criticized for flaws.

Mr Rodgers said the first order of business will be to draft internal rules of

procedure for the committee to, among other things, formalize a routing

procedure to the various agencies that might be affected by town ordinances.

Some town agencies have complained that the ordinance committee has not

communicated with them during the drafting of ordinances.

"Once we get those rules in order, we can go ahead with ordinance drafting,"

he said. "We have to overhaul the scenic road ordinance, and I want to finally

get the underground oil tank ordinance completed."

As for his first year on the council -- "I think it's definitely been

worthwhile," said Mr Rodgers, who moved to Newtown from Hartford in 1992 with

his wife, Moira. "I feel we've accomplished some things. During this past

election, I said we needed to put more money in the budget and make sure the

town gets more bang for its buck, at all levels. I think we're doing that. I

can sleep at night."

A native of Andover, Mass., Mr Rodgers graduated from the University of

Pennsylvania and received his degree in law from Boston University. He has a

daughter, Amelia, who will be a freshman at Wesleyan University next fall.