Date: Fri 30-Jun-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Special-Olympics-Austria-host

Full Text:

PAGE ONE; NEWTOWN OPENS ITS HEART TO SPECIAL OLYMPIANS

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

From the moment the Special Olympic Austrian delegation stepped off the bus at

the Middle School on Monday, they were exposed to Newtown's finest. That is,

the spirit of generosity that weaves the people, businesses, civic

organizations, and public servants together into a community. Some guests

liked it here so much they said they would rather stay in Newtown than go to

the World Games.

½It has been wonderful. The [host] family is very, very nice,¾ said badminton

coach Erwin Jamnik. ½All the people are so friendly to us... More so than I

expected.¾

The coach and one of the athletes, Kurt Rapp, said that the attitude is

different in the US - people are friendly and come up to them. ½Many people in

Austria keep a distance from retarded people,¾ said Mr Jamnik. ½Today it is

better [in our homeland] than a few years ago. They are beginning to accept

retarded people.¾ His wish is for all people, especially those in Austria, is

for them to continue to be accepting of those who are mentally retarded.

Mr Rapp and fellow athlete Harold Einoder competed and took top medals in

table tennis in the last Austrian Special Olympic Games. But during the past

nine months they have trained to compete in badminton, a new Olympic sport for

Austria. Now, after trying out tennis at Dickinson Park, they both laughed and

said maybe that would be their next sport.

½It's been a phenomenal experience [having them here.] Incredible. Probably

one of the best experiences our family has ever had,¾ said Ruth Norton who,

along with her husband Charlie and two boys hosted the athletes and their

coach. ½They are wonderful, gracious, very caring and very enthusiastic. We've

had so much fun together and made the most of every minute. I know I'm going

to cry when they leave.¾

Mrs Norton said her family benefited from hosting world class athletes, and

those from another culture who introduced them to another language. She and Mr

Norton have trained to be officials for cycling at the World Games, and

15-year-old Lee is one of the committee members putting together a Mormon

Church youth conference which will involve three days of volunteering at the

games.

Sylvia Fekus, an Austrian athlete who is competing in swimming events, said

she has really enjoyed her visit to Newtown. She especially liked the carnival

at St Rose on Tuesday night, and the torch run through town. Ms Fekus and

another athlete stayed with Bill and Evelyn Watts.

½It's rewarding, it's exciting, and it's scary at the beginning,¾ said Mrs

Watts about having volunteered as a host family. ½The athletes are just

thriving on [the attention and fun events] because the community has opened

its arms and welcomed them... The biggest pleasure for me has been watching

their pleasure.¾

Sixty-seven athletes and coaches arrived in town on Monday, June 19. They were

greeted by host families bearing balloons and ½Wilkomm¾ signs, and attended a

reception with food and drink provided by Newtown Newcomers Club, Inc. On

Tuesday, at a reception and lunch hosted by the Newtown Rotary, the Austrian

guests expressed appreciation for local hospitality by awarding host families

the highest honors attainable by an athlete - the bronze, silver, and gold

medals. These were proudly worn to the Meeting House where a crowd had

gathered to greet the torch carriers.

Adi Rieter, an Austrian police officer and marathon runner, ran with the torch

from Bethel, through Dodgingtown, down Route 302, onto Main Street. He stopped

at the flagpole to greet local officials, embrace fellow natives, and offered

to let a few athletes raise the torch above the crowd.

The next stop for special olympians was an official work out. The Austrians

practiced badminton, bocci, and running at the Newtown High School field. One

of the coaches commented that the climate in Newtown is different from that in

Austria and more difficult for those in training for the 5,000 meter races.

Tuesday evening was spent riding the ferris wheel, playing games, and eating

cotton candy and hot dogs at St Rose Carnival. Although they stayed up late,

the athletes had to be up early the next morning for another practice session.

Fun, games, music by Eclipse, and a barbecue were enjoyed by the delegation

and host families at Dickinson park Wednesday afternoon. They had just a short

time to relax at the host homes before travelling to Ridgefield to attend a

reception by the Austrian Consul General.

A Mass at St Rose was offered in German on Thursday morning. And a gala

breakfast, complete with Oompa band, was hosted by Ashlar of Newtown. At noon,

the Austrian Team departed for New Haven.

½It couldn't have gone better,¾ said Jud Doyle, chairman of the Newtown host

town committee. ½To see the smiles on their faces! They love Newtown and love

Americans. They said they're going to be sorry to go home.¾

The world games will be held July 1-9 in New Haven, West Haven, and Hamden,

and at five New Haven-area colleges and universities: Yale, Southern

Connecticut State, the University of New Haven, Quinnipiac College and

Albertus Magnus, and at the Hopkins School in New Haven, the Jewish Community

Center in Woodbridge, and at Ocean Beach Pool in New London.

GENNEWS

P&Z SEEKS LEGAL ADVICE ON OX HILL ROAD EASEMENT

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

The question about whether the town should grant an easement to Southern New

England Telephone (SNET) to put switching equipment on town-owned land on Ox

Hill Road must be referred to the Planning & Zoning Commission, according to

the town attorney.

First Selectman Bob Cascella said he has received an opinion from town counsel

David Grogins that indicates the proper procedure would have been for the

request to be forwarded to P&Z by the Legislative Council last month. Instead,

the council voted 9-1 in favor of SNET's request, causing an outcry from

residents of Ox Hill and Mt Nebo roads who oppose the proposal.

¾The proper procedure is for the Legislative Council to refer the matter to

the Planning and Zoning Commission, pursuant to Section 8-24 of the General

Statutes,¾ Mr Grogins said. ½After Planning and Zoning recommends it, the

matter goes back to the Legislative Council, which then votes on it. The first

selectman then notices a town meeting and, after the vote of the town meeting

(assuming it is favorable), the first selectman signs the easement.¾

At this point, SNET would then have to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals

to ask for a setback variance and a variance for a commercial use in a

residential area.

Last week the council voted 6-4 to table reconsideration of the proposal in an

emotional meeting attended by more than a dozen residents of the area. The

council directed SNET representatives and the residents to get together and

try to come to an agreement about where to locate the equipment, which had

been proposed for a triangular piece of town-owned land at the intersection of

the two roads. The council also agreed to get an opinion from Town Attorney

David Grogins about whether the council or the Board of Selectmen had the

authority under the charter to approve this use of the land.

The neighbors objected to the two or three metal cabinets which SNET proposed

to install at the site, then obscure with six-foot hemlocks, rhododendron and

mountain laurel hedges. The residents called the installation ½graffiti

cabinets¾ and ½a gas station.¾ They said the metal cabinetry would provide a

hiding place for criminals who might break into their homes or endanger

children at the bus stop. The facility would destroy the rural nature of the

site and would reduce their property values, they said.

Chet Raczka, an engineering manager for SNET, said the company has more than

700 such installations across the state including several in Newtown and most

people drive right by them without realizing they are there. He said SNET

would consider alternate locations but this might require a delay of six

months to a year for engineering work which would be required. Temporarily

SNET could hang 5x5x3-foot cabinets from poles along the streets in the area

to help provide the increased telephone service which is needed in the area,

he said.

The residents and SNET representatives held one meeting at which nothing was

resolved. Another meeting will be held after the neighbors have explored

suggestions for alternate sites.

GENNEWS: DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TO MOVE

First Selectman Bob Cascella said Wednesday that the office of Community

Development Director Liz Stocker will move this week from Town Hall South to

Edmond Town Hall.

Mr Cascella said Ms Stocker will share office space with his administrative

assistant, Marie Sturdevant.

½Community Development has reached a point where we would have to hire a

person to work with (Ms Stocker),¾ Mr Cascella said. ½She is sharing office

staff down there. Sometimes it is a question of priorities about whose work

gets done.¾

Mr Cascella said Ms Stocker has obtained a computer and printer with a Small

Cities grant and these will be moved with her desk to the first selectman's

suite of offices.

½The Small Cities program is the bulk of her work now and she will share my

staff,¾ Mr Cascella said. ½It's not a perfect world but this is the best

solution for now. She will now have some support staff which will free her up

to do her job. She will keep the same telephone number (270-4271).¾

Two years ago the expenses relating to the position of community development

director were incorporated into the first selectman's line item on the budget.

Mr Cascella did not indicate who would use the community development office

which was created for Ms Stocker in early 1994 at Town Hall South.

The first selectman also said that the secretarial staff at Town Hall South

has been reduced by making the position of conservation secretary half time

rather than full time. That position is in the office of Dave Thompson, the

town's conservation enforcement officer and environmental official, although

that secretary also did some work for the community development office.

¾We made this decrease in the position due to a decrease in the workload,¾ Mr

Cascella said. ½It will mean considerable savings to the town because it will

eliminate most fringe benefits from the position.¾

Clarification

In a police report published in last week's edition of The Bee , it was

reported that a shotgun discharge and scuffle on June 17 in Sandy Hook Center

took place at 100 Church Hill Road.

Ray Costanzo, proprietor of 100 Church Hill, a restaurant and bar, said that

the incident took place in a common parking lot behind the business block on

Church Hill Road near Washington Avenue. The incident and those involved in

it, he said, had no connection with his restaurant as readers may have

inferred from the report.