Tercentennial Commission Elects Officers

By Jan Howard

The steering committee of the Newtown Tercentennial Commission elected officers, set a budget figure, and approved a statement of purpose at its meeting October 1 at Newtown Savings Bank.

The committee was officially appointed by the Board of Selectmen at its meeting October 6. The selectmen also approved the commission’s Statement of Purpose.

The officers include Dan Cruson, town historian, chairman; Mae Schmidle, former town clerk and state representative, vice chairman; Cindy Simon, town clerk, secretary; and John Trentacosta of Newtown Savings Bank, treasurer. In addition to the officers, members of the 12-person Steering Committee are Gordon Williams, chairman of the Newtown Historical Society; John Martocci of Newtown Savings Bank; Janet Woycik, director of the C.H. Booth Library; Barbara Kasbarian, director of Parks and Recreation; Scudder Smith, editor and publisher of The Newtown Bee; Selectman Bill Brimmer; Rep Julia Wasserman; Brigette Sorenson, newly appointed to the ad hoc committee for a cultural arts commission; and First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, ex officio.

The Statement of Purpose, which was unanimously approved by the steering committee, states that the “Newtown Tercentennial Commission has been established to promote the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the town.” It is to promote and coordinate celebratory activities of organizations, businesses, and institutions of Newtown that will begin on January 1, 2005 and culminate on August 5, the founding date of the town. The commission is to disband on December 31, 2005.

The commission also would organize several activities to encourage participation of the entire town, such as fireworks, parade, Colonial ball, and town picnic. It also will see to the raising, maintenance, and distribution of funds for these activities.

Following discussion, a budget figure of $10 per resident, or an estimated $250,000, was set for the tercentennial celebration. “This is going to cost a lot of money,” Rep Wasserman said.

Mr Martocci said the committee should “make a big push to get sponsorships” from industries and local businesses. “We need a grass roots effort to raise funds.”

If funds were left over at the end of the year, the commission hopes to use those funds for a permanent memorial of the tercentennial.

The steering committee is to promote, advise, and coordinate the various anniversary activities. The committee is also to develop a logo for the celebration and control its use during the celebratory period.

The steering committee also appointed the following committee chairmen: Ms Schmidle, bylaws and tercentennial logo; Mr Trentacosta and Rep Wasserman, finance; Mr Martocci, fundraising; Ms Sorenson, education; Mr Williams, volunteer coordination; and Ms Woycik and Ms Kasbarian, major events. Among other suggested committees are publicity, publications, and commemoratives.

Mr Brimmer will look into obtaining a variance regarding the town’s ordinance forbidding fireworks.

The members of the steering committee discussed possible souvenir items, such as a Labor Day Parade program that would highlight the year’s events, a hardcover book that would contain Newtown history, essays, and photographs, and a book of 300 photographs of Newtown residents suggested by photographer Claudio Basso.

Ms Schmidle suggested development of the tercentennial logo should serve as a kickoff to the celebratory year. “It will get interest and community response,” she said. “We need to decide if we want to go out for designers.”

Discussion centered on whether the logo should be decided through a contest or be presented to artists in the community.

“I don’t think I’d do that,” Mr Smith said of a contest. Ms Simon agreed, noting “We need to get things going; with a contest, we will get 25,000 different opinions.”

Ms Kasbarian said, “By the first of the year we should have someone ready to start on the logo.”

Local illustrators and designers are invited to call Mr Smith at 426-3141 if they are interested in helping develop a logo for the town tercentennial.

Ms Schmidle and Mr Smith are to report back to the steering committee’s next meeting.

Mr Cruson said that use of the logo by other organizations, such as for an ornament, would require permission of the Tercentennial Commission.

Mr Williams reported that four additional organizations have expressed interest in participating in some way in the tercentennial celebration as a result of a letter he sent to local clubs and organizations. Names of prospective volunteers should be forwarded to Mr Williams.

Ms Schmidle noted, “It’s not a bad idea for us to continue to correspond with other clubs and organizations in town so as to transmit information to their members.”

The next meeting of the steering committee will be held on October 28.