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STD HEAD: THE WAY WE WERE

DECEMBER 22, 1972

On December 19 the final report and recommendations of the Charter Revision

Commission were officially submitted to the Board of Selectmen. The selectmen

are required to call a public hearing within 30 days on the commission's

recommendations. The committee recommended changing the date of the regular

town election from the first Monday in May to the first Tuesday after the

first Monday of November. A paragraph should be added to the charter limiting

the terms of office on all elective and appointive boards and commissions to

two consecutive terms on the same commission, not including the Board of

Selectmen. The commission also recommends an elected, rather the current

appointed, Police Commission. The commission also recommends a provision for a

director of finance and a centralized finance department for the town. This

would include making the assessor and tax collector appointed positions, both

of whom would report to the finance director.

The Bee has learned that the judge who heard testimony in the Boyle property

case, Frank Covello, died last week. Judge Covello presided over the court

case in which the owners of the Boyle Property on Boggs Hill Road sought to

get an injunction to prevent the Town of Newtown from acquiring the property

through condemnation for an elementary school site. Judge Covello ruled in

favor of the town this fall. However, the Boyle property owners filed an

appeal in early December and their lawyer submitted a draft finding of facts

which went to Judge Covello to study. Since Judge Covello was the only one who

heard the original case and was studying the finding of facts, the appeal

proceedings came to a halt with his desk. The plaintiffs' attorney said he

will move for a new trial.

After six years in town, the Montessori School Inc has found a permanent home

on property owned by Louis and Jean Marshall on Route 202 (now 302) and

Taunton Hill Road. At the Planning and Zoning Commission's special meeting on

December 19, the school's plans were approved. The building and grounds

formerly were used for a restaurant-tea room.

Connecticut's new no-fault automobile insurance law goes into effect on New

Year's Day and for the first time in this state, liability insurance becomes

mandatory. Uninsured drivers will be subject to penalties of up to 90 days in

jail and a $500 fine, plus loss of driver's license and registration, if they

drive without insurance. The responsibility for buying the insurance rests

with the owner of the car, but the penalties under the law also apply to

persons who drive uninsured cars.

Charles E. Wrinn of Newtown has been named district manager in the Connecticut

Light & Power Company's Greenwich district, according to Richard F. Gretsch,

the company's Western division manager. Mr Wrinn succeeds Donald S. Valden of

Greenwich who retired from CL&P after 35 years of service. Mr Wrinn is a

graduate of the University of Connecticut with a bachelor of science degree in

electrical engineering. He and his wife, Phyllis, and their seven children

live on Hundred Acres Road.

Two newly appointed members of the Conservation Commission were introduced and

welcomed at the commission's monthly meeting on December 18. The new members

are Mrs Julia Wasserman of Walnut Tree Hill Road and Howard Kemmerer of

Hanover Road. Mrs Wasserman works actively with the Sierra Club and is on the

noise abatement committee. Mr Kemmerer belongs to the Newtown Beautification

Committee and works for the Fairfield County Extension Service.

DECEMBER 19, 1947

At the request of the Permanent School Building Committee, the Board of

Selectmen have called a special town meeting for December 22 to receive and

act upon its report. The committee had been instructed at a special town

meeting in September to prepare a set of plans for an elementary school in

Newtown not to exceed a cost of $300,000 excluse of state funds. The December

22 meeting is necessary because the State Public School Building Commission in

Hartford has refused a request by the local committee to extend the time for

allotment of the $50,000 state grant beyond the January 9, 1948 deadline. In

addition to the loss of the grant, the town stands to lose $18,000 in

architects' fees, due to the firm of Brown & Van Beren of New Haven for the

original plan drawn for the proposed addition to Hawley School. This addition,

estimated to cost $532,000, was rejected by the town at the September meeting.

The Newtown Chapter of the United World Federalists was the sponsor of a

lively and enthusiastic panel discussion Sunday evening in the Alexandria Room

of Edmond Town Hall on the subject of "Is World Government Practical Now?" The

panel speakers were Charles G. Morris of Newtown, John J. Smertenko of

Woodbury and Allen Green of Westport. Mr Morris spoke on the historical

development of government from the primitive family to the tribe to the advent

of law and order. Mr Smertenko said it was his opinion that if a poll were

taken of all the people in the 310 separate and independent nations it would

indicate that they are ready for world government now. Mr Green spoke on the

need for revision of the United Nations charter.

The Hawley Manor is offering an old-fashioned country supper on Saturday

night, December 20, for $1.50. Christmas dinner, $2.50, will be served on

December 25 from 12:20 to 3:30 pm. Pat's Log Cabin has a complete turkey

Sunday dinner for $1. The Parker House will be closed on Christmas but will

feature roast turkey dinner on New Year's Eve.

Wrap your wife in a fur scarf as an answer to her Christmas dreams. Arthur

Stock fine furs in Danbury is offering stone marten scarves as well as mink,

Kolinsky, Baum, marten and squirrel. The price is $25 to $27.50 per skin. It

takes four skins to make a scarf.

On Monday afternoon Newtown, through the selectmen, accepted delivery of a new

Marmon-Herrington snow fighter, four-wheel drive truck, equipped with

hydraulically operated plow and adjustable plow wings. With the snow equipment

removed, the truck can be used for any dump purposes and can be used as either

a two-wheel drive or a four. Attached, the V-shaped plow can dispose of a

swath of snow 20-feet wide. Because the snow fighter was on order before a

price change went into effect, the cost to Newtown was $6,795. The current

all-inclusive price for the unit is $7,286.

Kenneth V. Shaw was elected and installed as Worshipful Master of Hiram Lodge

No 18 AF&AM in the annual election and installation of officers at the Masonic

Temple in Sandy Hook on Wednesday evening. Sixty members of the lodge were

present.