Date: Fri 23-Jan-1998

By DOROTHY EVANS

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

Booth-Library-fund-raiser

Full Text:

Take A Seat, And Benefit The Library: Chairs Feature `All Around The Flagpole'

Motif

(with cuts)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

You might indeed need to be sitting down when you read about how much one of

the special order "All Around The Flagpole, Newtown, CT" Hitchcock captain's

chairs costs.

But surely, $500 is not too much to spend for such a beautiful collector's

piece. Especially not when you consider that the chair has been made available

as a fund-raiser to benefit the Cyrenius H. Booth Library and whether you keep

the chair for your own use or donate it to the library, a full $150 of the

purchase price will go directly toward furthering library programs.

"We already have six chairs that were donated to the library before the

opening. You can see them on the second floor landing outside the Reading

Room, around a large table," said Pat Denlinger.

Mrs Denlinger is a former Booth Library Board member who has been coordinating

the Hitchcock chair fund-raiser.

The special edition chairs may be ordered at any time, Mrs Denlinger said, by

mailing a signed purchase request to the library, at 25 Main Street, Newtown,

CT, 06470, along with a check made out to the Cyrenius H. Booth Library for

$500. Mrs Denlinger said it would take approximately 8 to 10 weeks for the

delivery of the chairs, which are manufactured in Wilton.

"You may also designate a plaque to be added to the chair back, including an

inscription of three lines and up to 15 words," Mrs Denlinger added.

The sturdy armchair is black and features artwork across the top panel of the

back rest that shows six familiar Main Street, Newtown landmarks.

Hand-painted in the trademark Hitchcock gilded stencil style, they are, from

left to right, the Gold Building, the historic Naramore residence, Newtown

Meeting House, the flagpole, Trinity Church, the balcony house and the

Cyrenius H. Booth Library.

Anyone who would like to learn more about ordering a special edition "All

Around the Flagpole" Hitchcock chair may call Pat Denlinger at 426-5982.

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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 23-Jan-1998

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