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WAY WE WERE

MARCH 9, 1973

The Board of Selectmen completed its action on the Charter Revision Commission

report Tuesday evening in time to get the proposed changes on the ballot for

the May 7 election. The deadline was met by a matter of minutes when the board

took its last vote just before midnight at the end of a long meeting. The

selectmen approved proposals to change the date of the town election from May

to November; reduce the number of registrars of voters to one from each party;

repeal the Charter provision that forbids town employees to engage in

political activity; add a new provision that would forbid town employees and

officials to engage in financial matters that would involve a conflict of

interest; require all paid and appointed town employees, except employees of

the Board of Education, to report to the first selectman; provide for annual

preparation of a five-year capital improvement plan.

The Board of Education gave final approval to the superintendent of schools'

proposed 1973-74 budget at the final public work session on Tuesday evening

before an audience that consisted of one member of the press and three of the

public. There were few cuts or additions at the work session, so the budget

won't be far from the superintendent's recommended total of $5,495,707. The

budget includes a new high school administrative assistant position, $22,000

for a new gifted and talented program, a half-time guidance clerk at the high

school, and $3,210 to install equipment for television reception at the middle

school so that outside educational programs can be shown.

At the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting this week it was revealed that the

Barclay Sweater Company of New York plans to establish a multi-million dollar

distribution center and offices on Edmond Road in Newtown if it is successful

in obtaining a variance to construct the facility in an M-2 zone. According to

the company's attorney, the building would be an odd configuration which would

require a hardship variance for a portion of the building which would be

closer than 150 feet from the street line. The ZBA's decision must be made

within 30 days.

Alarming news has come into The Bee to the effect that dog "snatchers" may be

working around the Sandy Hook and Newtown area, and residents are warned to

keep a close watch on their pets. Taffy McLaughlin of Alberts Hill Road has

lost two black and tan coonhounds, Charles McLaughlin is missing his

wirehaired terrier, and Robert Shannon is missing his German shepherd. Also

the loss of several poodles has been reported. All of this has taken place

within the past three weeks, and all of the dogs were ones which were not

allowed to roam.

At an Eagle Court of Honor at the Dodgingtown firehouse, Richard Camejo was

awarded scouting's highest honor. Richard is the 12th scout from Troop 270 to

earn the rank of Eagle. Other Eagles in the troop are Raul Camejo, Jr, David

Hughes, Gary Gollenberg, Ralph Arata, Al Hogenauer, Larry Dieringer, Charles

DiRienzo, Glenn Gollenberg, Douglas Titus, Jeff Cramer, and Jim Bohn.

On Tuesday evening, Chief Louis Marchese told the Board of Police

Commissioners that he and his men had decided at a department meeting that the

force would have no high speed chases through town. Instead of giving chase to

speeders and possibly endanger the lives of residents and themselves, the

police will adopt a policy of calling ahead either to another Newtown patrol

car, another town, or the state police. "The fact that a life may be lost

during a chase after a speeder is just not worth the risk," concluded the

chief.

The Board of Mangers of Edmond Town Hall voted Wednesday evening to get in

touch with Yale University to try to clarify Yale's interest in the trust fund

left by Mary Hawley to endow the building. The action followed warnings by

Town Counsel Robert Hall last month that under the terms of the trust, the

fund might revert to Yale as a residual beneficiary if the building is not

used for the purposes for which it was designed. Dr Benton Egee, chairman of

the board, said he did not see how any further changes could be made in the

use of the town hall unless Yale agreed to forego any such claims.

MARCH 12, 1948

Near tragedy was averted Tuesday morning in Sandy Hook, when a heavily loaded

trailer truck, out of control, was diverted by its driver into a tree rather

than crash into a school bus loaded with children. The impact of the crash

telescoped the engine and the cab. Apparently the driver, Lloyd J. Reimersma

of Holland, Michigan, took his feet off the pedals an instant before the crash

and threw his body to the right of the wheel, for he escaped being crushed. He

was nevertheless pinned against the seat, his legs caught in the wreckage of

the cab, and it took some little time before rescuers, using hacksaws,

crowbars, and jacks, could extricate him.

The Newtown Chapter of the United World Federalists, with co-operation of

other organizations in town, is sponsoring a petition drive for world

government on Saturday, March 20. The local workers will also be assisted by a

group of Student Federalists from Yale University. The steadily worsening

world conditions, in Palestine, in Czechoslovakia, and in Finland, in China,

etc. make it important that world law and a world police force be established

quickly. Public petitions are the first step toward a world federation.

The Newtown High School girls lost their League championship game last Friday

afternoon to a very experienced and energetic Thomaston High School team on

the New Milford floor by two points, 35-33. The Thomaston girls led by three

points at halftime, but the Hawley girls closed the gap and led by two points

when the last quarter started and even had a six-point lead at one time. A

most unfortunate situation closed the contest and caused the Newtown players

and rooters to come away rather disappointed, and with good reason, because

Newtown's star forward, Audrey Wood, was taken from the game in the last two

and one half minutes of play without warning when the book kept by the

official scorer suddenly indicated there were four fouls against her, as a

Thomaston girl stepped up to shoot a free try.

Robert Friers and his charming wife, Betty, travelers extraordinary, will

present an all-color motion picture travelogue, "Mexican Holiday," on Saturday

evening, March 20, at 8:30 o'clock in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town

Hall.

Robert C. Mitchell of Southbury was able to travel out in a car with his son,

Robert K. Mitchell, on Monday, stopping at The Bee office. It was his first

excursion away from home since early February, where he has been confined with

water on both knees.

Dr Duncan Stephens of the Fairfield State Hospital was the speaker at

Wednesday evening's meeting of the Men's Literary and Social Club at the

Parker House, talking on the mentally ill and the community attitude toward

them. George McGrawk was essayist for the evening, and Herman Geiger host. Two

new members, William Hunter and William J. Holcomb, were welcomed into the

club.

A special town meeting has been called for Monday evening, March 15, in Edmond

Town Hall at 8 o'clock for the purpose of hearing and voting on the

recommendation of the Board of Fire Commissioners that a new fire truck, one

to remain the property of the Town of Newtown but assigned to the Hawleyville

district, be purchased, said truck not to exceed the sum of $9,000.