Date: Fri 15-Aug-1997

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Sonics-economic-development

Full Text:

Danbury Firm Wants To Move To Church Hill Road Site

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

A Danbury technology firm has an application pending before the Conservation

Commission in connection with its intention to relocate to 55-A Church Hill

Road, the site of the former Church Hill Business Forms.

Sonics and Materials, Inc, of West Kenosia Avenue in Danbury has a contract to

buy the 17.2-acre Church Hill Road property and a vacant 65,000-square-foot

building owned by Newtown Equities, Inc, of Long Island City, N.Y. The site is

behind the town's teen center.

If the move occurs, Sonics would transfer its approximately 100 employees from

its Danbury facilities to the Church Hill Road building which is about twice

as large, allowing the firm to expand.

Sonics manufactures high-intensity ultrasonic plastics assembly equipment. The

equipment it makes is used in the manufacture of medical and automotive

products, textiles, housewares, packaging, appliances and toys.

The application pending before the Conservation Commission seeks permission to

refurbish an existing parking lot, build a truck access at the rear of the

building, and provide additional parking. The work would involve alterations

to approximately 2,900 square feet of wetland areas.

There are 20 property owners on Church Hill Road, Budd Drive, and Schoolhouse

Hill Road adjoining the 17.2-acre property.

In conjunction with the Sonics application, the town is seeking Conservation

Commission approval to build a driveway within a passway at 55-A Church Hill

Road. The project is proposed for a 1.07-acre site. The owner of the site is

Robert Kahan of Stamford.

First Selectman Robert Cascella said the town, as part of its economic

development efforts, is working closely with Sonics and is aiding it in its

desire to locate here.

Mr Cascella pointed to the town's cooperation with Northeast Utilities,

Neumade Products Corp, and Newtown Shopping Center when they located new

facilities in Newtown.

Besides helping increase the town's grand list of taxable properties, "Sonics

and Materials would also be a good neighbor," Mr Cascella said.

He said the town is negotiating with Sonics over how the cost of building a

new paved driveway for 55 Church Hill Road would be covered.

Sonics operates a very clean business, the first selectman noted, adding the

firm has been very successful.

"It's a perfect match as far as I'm concerned," said Elizabeth Stocker of

Sonics locating in Newtown. Ms Stocker is the town's community development

director.

Besides Conservation Commission approval of a wetlands permit, Sonics would

need a site plan approval from the Borough Zoning Commission.

Sonics and Materials officials were unavailable for comment.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 15-Aug-1997

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