Date: Fri 19-Jul-1996

By KAAREN VALENTA

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

police-chief-Lysaght

Full Text:

with cut: Newtown's New Police Chief Is Sworn-In

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

A beaming James Lysaght was sworn into office as the town's new police chief

in ceremonies Sunday in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall.

Town Clerk Cynthia Curtis administered the oath of office to Chief Lysaght as

his wife, Linda, and their children Patrick, Andrew, and Julia, looked on.

About a dozen local police officers, including detectives and patrolmen, were

among the 75 people who attended the ceremonies.

Bristol Police Chief William Kohnky wished his former second-in-command well

as the head of Newtown's 36-member police department.

Police Chief Thomas Rotunda of Ridgefield and Police Chief Richard Mulhall of

Bloomfield also attended the ceremonies.

In opening remarks, First Selectman Robert Cascella welcomed Chief Lysaght,

47, to town as its top law enforcement official.

Chief Lysaght and Mr Cascella met several times in recent weeks to discuss

Newtown law enforcement issues.

After the oath of office was administered, Police Commission Chairman Carol

Mattegat presented Chief Lysaght with his badge.

On Monday, the new chief met members of the police department and the public.

During the week, Chief Lysaght continued his meetings with officers at the

police station to develop lines of communication between himself and them.

The Police Commission reviewed 118 resumes in their search for a new chief.

Michael DeJoseph retired as police chief last March. Lieutenant Owen Carney

and Captain Michael Fekete served as acting chiefs in the absence of a

replacement for Mr DeJoseph.

Chief Lysaght worked in the Bristol department for the past 24 years. While in

charge of Bristol's patrol division, Mr Lysaght supervised 84 officers and

civilians in a police department which has 114 sworn officers. Bristol is a

city with almost three times the population of Newtown.

Until Mr Lysaght and his family relocate from Bristol to Newtown, he will be

commuting to work here.

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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 19-Jul-1996

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