Beware Of Spending!

To the Editor:

The road ahead is filled with challenges, and money is in short supply. Let us beware of spending more money for consultants. The first Fairfield Hills Committee spent $17,000. Following its report, HMA Consultants were paid to prepare a document to solicit proposals from developers to take over the campus. I don’t know the fee they were paid, but their plan allowed 200 units of housing at FFH. Fortunately for Newtown, no developers responded. The recent Master Plan Committee paid HMA Consultants $289,802 for a plan the voters rejected.

Wisely, Councilman Joseph Borst has steered the town leaders to study the 37.54 acres in Commerce Park given to the town by the state for economic development. The Bee reported plans to spend $30,000 to $45,000 for engineering studies. Couldn’t our town engineer and our wetland expert in the land use office do this work?

In 1985–86, the business community in Sandy Hook paid for new sidewalks, curbs, and lighting. Is repeating the 1985 effort in 2003 for $155,000 of town money the answer to revitalization? Improving the traffic/parking pattern would certainly be helpful, but attracting an anchor store (convenience store) might be more helpful? Must we hire another outside firm for this project also? Recently, the state spent thousands to repave Route 34. Nice, but what Route 34 really needs is a truck passing lane for the long hills, and Route 25 needs some left-turn lanes.

While we move forward to acquire more open space, we need to realize that FFH is the largest open space acquisition Newtown will ever make. We must preserve and protect it from commercialization. FFH also offers space for our municipal offices and land for future community, recreation, cultural arts and senior centers as well as ample playing fields, and, perhaps, needed school classrooms. In conjunction, however, we must develop a plan to utilize Edmond Town Hall that is worthy of its historical significance.

Sadly, I have learned of the attacks via the Internet, on both candidates for first selectman. Only the past endeavors of Mr Sheluck have been reported in The Bee. Hopefully, Mr Rosenthal’s past will not be publicized in retaliation. Most of us are imperfect; we make mistakes, but we also become wiser. On November 4, judge each man on his plan for the future of Newtown. Attend the “Pizza and Politics” dinner at the Fireside on Monday, October 20, 6 pm, to hear each candidate answer questions.

The road ahead will require financial skills, bold ideas, courage to follow new paths, and extraordinary leadership. Saving Fairfield Hills for Newtown was accomplished by ordinary citizens united by a vision for the future of this beautiful property, not by the Board of Selectmen that, for two long years, opposed its purchase. Cautious spending plans will be needed to move from vision to reality.

Ruby K. Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                       October 15, 2003