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By DOROTHY EVANS

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Full Text:

Longtime Sandy Hook Resident Wins Connecticut Tribute Award

BY DOROTHY EVANS

Mrs H. Hawley Warner (Margaret) of Sandy Hook, a Danbury Garden Club member

since 1978, was recently nominated by the club to receive the "Distinguished

Connecticut Tribute Award For All-Around Excellence."

Mrs Warner won the award and was recognized at the annual Federated Garden

Clubs of Connecticut Awards and Recognition Luncheon that was held at the Aqua

Turf Club in Southington.

"We are so proud of Margaret and her accomplishments -- her guidance, her

wisdom and the love given to all of us over the years. Congratulations,

Margaret!" said Danbury Garden Club publicity chair Debby Gardiner.

Reached at her Pole Bridge Road home, Mrs Warner said she had been working in

her Sandy Hook garden for nearly 50 years now, and that her special interests

lay in perennials and ornamental grasses.

"They take a lot of care and tending," Mrs Warner said.

More Club Awards

At the Aqua Turf luncheon, the Danbury Garden Club also received several other

awards for projects carried out during the past year, including the following

list.

Another Connecticut Tribute Award was given Mrs Edmund Nahom (Maria),

president of the Danbury Garden Club, for work done with the juniors.

An Arboreal Award of a traveling silver bowl was given for an outstanding

Arbor Day project.

A Certificate of Achievement for the club flower show that was titled "Come to

the Fair," with special awards for outstanding exhibits in horticulture,

special exhibits, scheduling and the Junior Intermediate Class.

A Garden Therapy Award of excellence which involves visiting nursing homes and

schools in the area and using fresh or dried materials for the hour-long

project sessions.

A Third Place Award for the Danbury Garden Club yearbook.

Youth Award of Excellence -- a traveling silver tray for outstanding work with

a registered Junior Garden Club.

The Danbury Garden Club meets the third Friday of each month and new members

are taken in twice a year, in the spring and fall. Anyone interested in

joining should call publicity chair Debby Gardiner at 744-0690 for referral to

the membership chairman.

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Draw Dominance, Transition Game Lift Boys' Lacrosse Team To Lopsided Wins

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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