Missing Checks

And Balances

To the Editor:     

Eight members of the Legislative Council expressed the opinion that Fairfield Hills is coming along just fine. No need to have more information. They’re satisfied. Let the FFH Authority and the selectmen do as they wish. No need for an Legislative Council subcommittee to review the decisions and expenditures made for FFH (Newtown Bee, 10/03/08).

Had they chosen to execute the “checks and balances” expected of the legislative branch of government, the Legislative Council might have questioned the $830,000 for an DEP environmental consultant, $2.91 million for O&G Engineering oversight, yet the State Department of Health in its letter to the town dated 9/19/08 in regard to Greenwich Hall stated “a consultant that is qualified to perform hazardous materials surveys should be retained to canvass the entire building and perform testing as necessary.” E.Q. Northeast, Inc has now been retained to survey all FFH buildings. Why wasn’t that done earlier? History reveals the point of poor decisions. November 30, 2000, Legislative Council minutes report a sharp exchange between the selectmen and citizens concerning the critical need to conduct a complete Phase II environmental survey before purchasing FFH. Instead, only a partial survey was performed.

Legislative Council members would have learned the enormous costs that poor planning has caused. The reported new town hall cost $10,728,486 does not include windows $75,614, telephone poles $37,000, new roof $504,091, nor costs for underground installation of electricity, cable, telephone, gas, and demolition of underground tunnels. Why is the Danbury Hospital project in Newtown Hall delayed? Are the Legislative Council members pleased with the $1 million-plus baseball diamond ($654,576 construction, $300,000 lights, and 40 parking spaces)?

With this knowledge, they could truly evaluate the Master Plan for FFH imposed by the Board of Selectmen. A check and reevaluation of this expensive and poorly planned development of town property is needed.

Will economic development pay for all this? Anticipated income from the Newtown Hall lease is $33,880, Woodbury $62,062, and new construction equaling a 75,000-square-foot office building $205,000 for a total of $300,000 yearly tax income, .01 of a mill (Assessor’s Report 5/17/07). Like all previous studies, the recent Planimetics report verifies that economic development accelerates people moving into town to take some of the newly created jobs. People demanding services and classrooms cause taxes to rise. Trumbull with 12.80 percent commercial development compared to Newtown’s 8.40 percent has an equalized mill rate of 13.85 compared to Newtown’s 13.99. No real difference in tax rates.

The council members can ignore all these facts and refuse to review the process, but they can’t change the facts. Only Gary Davis, Po Murray, and Chris Lyddy supported a review process. Remember that in 2009 and this November because Chris Lyddy, a candidate for the state legislature, recognized the need to review where the town is headed with FFH.

A check on spending and a balanced plan for future growth is the responsibility of the Legislative Council.

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                        October 22, 2008