Saturday, December 13

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Dec 12, 2003 12:00 am

Saturday, December 13

SNAN Holiday Fair, 9 amâ2 pm, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, crafts, jewelry, food court and baked goods, books, decorations, tag sale items, raffles, book signings by Bernie Ryan (10 amânoon only), sponsored by and benefit for Spay & Neuter Association of Newtown.

Housatonic Valley Waldorf School Open House, 10 amânoon, 40 Dodgingtown Road, parents and friends invited to meet teachers, learn about Waldorf education and view classrooms, reservations requested; 364-1113.

Housatonic Valley Waldorf School Holiday Gift Sale, 10 amâ3 pm, at Dodgingtown Firehouse, Route 302 at Jacklin Road, free admission, books, toys and handmade gifts with emphasis on high quality workmanship and natural materials; 364-1113.

âYou Can Never Have Enough Christmasâ boutique, 10 amâ7 pm, St Rose of Lima Parish Hall, Church Hill Road. Additional day of boutique because of snowstorm.

Sunday, December 14

Holiday Festival Arts & Crafts Show, 10 amâ5 pm, Newtown High School cafeteria, 12 Berkshire Road, free admission, 50 juried fine artisans and crafters, raffle, proceeds to benefit Family Counseling Center (show rescheduled from December 7); 270-9460.

âWelcome All Wonders,â 4 pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, 30 Main Street, suggested donation $10, performance by Naugatuck Valley Community College Chorus will includeÂ works of DeFerrari, Dirkson, Bass, Rutter, and John Carter; 203-575-8039.

Monday, December 15

Commission on Aging, 5 pm, Multipurpose Center, Riverside Road.

Public hearing on townâs participation in the US Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program, 7 pm, Booth Library, 25 Main Street.Â

Newtown Middle School 8th Grade Concert, 7 pm, at Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Road (snow date December 22); 426-7638, 426-7646.

Board of Selectmen, 7:30 pm, Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

Tuesday, December 16

Public Building and Site Commission, 6:30 pm, Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

Hanukkah and Christmas Concert, 8 pm, The Homesteads of Newtown, 166 Mt Pleasant Road, 8 pm, free performance by Community Wind Ensemble of Western CT; 426-8118.

Wednesday, December 17

Â Free blood pressure screening, 10 amânoon, C.H. Booth Library, Main Street, sponsored by Ashlar of Newtown.

Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HART), board of directors, 4 pm, HART offices, 62 Federal Road, Danbury.

St Rose Divorce Support Group meeting, 7 pm, St Rose Church Hall, 49 Church Hill Road, open to anyone going through or contemplating divorce; 270-1930.

Housatonic Valley Paddlers Club meeting, 7 pm, CL&P Service Center, Barnabas Road, nonmembers welcome to join members for recap of yearâs activities; 203-263-3281.

Legislative Council, 7:30 pm, Booth Library, 25 Main Street.

Thursday, December 18

2nd Annual Wonderland of Trees Festival, 10:30 amâ8:30 pm, The Homesteads at Newtown, 166 Mt Pleasant Road, free and open to the public, daylong arts and crafts festival, ongoing silent auction for decorated trees and wreaths (bidding closes 8 pm, winners announced shortly after), music and caroling, refreshments, performance at 5:30 by master pianist Jerry Traunig; 426-8118.

Newtown Middle School 7th Grade Concert, 7 pm, at Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Road (snow date December 23); 426-7638, 426-7646.

Board of Finance, 7:30 pm, Town Hall South, 3 Main Street.Â

Friday, December 19

HANUKKAH

BEGINS AT SUNDOWN

Hanukkah Concert, 8 pm, The Homesteads at Newtown, 166 Mt Pleasant Road, free performance by Music from The Heart led by Ethel Kaufman; 426-8118.

Monday, December 22

WINTER BEGINS

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

My Brother’s Band Planning ‘Mixed Bag’ Set List For Summer Concert Series Gig

Theater Review: A Very Happy Homecoming For ‘All Shook Up’

Theater Review: ‘Camelot’ Given The Royal Treatment In Neighboring Brookfield

It’s important to clarify the tone and context of Derek Pisani’s remarks, particularly the satirical line about suing Newtown for "Gross Stupidity." This was clearly a tongue-in-cheek jab at the exhausting culture of legal threats that’s become a staple on the local Facebook Group forums. It was a reflection of frustration over endless regulatory hurdles and obstructionism, and the desire to avoid common sense solutions not an insult aimed at residents. Satire, is meant to provoke thought and highlight the absurdities. If we are unable to distinguish between satire and literal threats, perhaps the comment hit closer to the truth than we’d like to admit. Rather than focusing on Pisanis style, we should be discussing the substance of what he’s pointing out: that Newtown’s progress is being routinely blocked by a small but vocal contingent who seem intent on saying “no” at every turn. They are saying no to any development, no to common sense solutions to crowd control, etc. Newtown deserves leaders who are willing to call things as they see them, even if their language ruffles feathers. That doesn’t mean they lack respect for constituents—it means they care enough to challenge the Mob and push for solutions. Isn't that what we elect people to do? I applaud Pisani's dedication, he certainly has earned my vote. Regardless, let’s not reduce conversation to tone-policing and outrage. Let’s focus on the issues that matter.

Who is Calling Newtowners Stupid?

Thank you for pointing out the trail access provisions included in the BOS motion—it’s an important clarification that deserves more attention in this conversation. If the development is, in fact, required to provide permanent free public access and commit to ongoing maintenance of this section of the Rochambeau Trail, that is a remarkably beneficial outcome for the town. oIt’s not every day that a private project shoulders the long-term burden of preserving and caring for a public historical corridor at no taxpayer cost—especially one that previously had no formal access, upkeep, or visibility. Let’s be honest: the idea that the only way to protect history is by preventing any development nearby is a rigid and unworkable standard. What’s being proposed here appears to strike a rare balance—historic preservation, public access, and smart development all rolled into one. That’s not a loss its a win. So rather than allowing a handful of voices to derail progress under the banner of “historic purity,” maybe it’s time to acknowledge the reality: this trail is better off with structured stewardship and visibility than remaining an overgrown ghost on old maps. Let’s move forward. Bring in the easement, bring in the public access—and yes, bring in the bulldozers!!! Progress and preservation can coexist. Let’s not let the NIMBY use fear or nostalgia keep us stuck in the past.

Discusses Rochambeau Trail And 6 Commerce Road

I've heard that several people are under the impression that the public might be banned from the Rochambeau Trail. Points 2 and 3 from the BOS motion (included in full below) make it clear that public access to the trail is part of the requirements for the developer. From what I understand, it requires free public access to the trail in perpetuity. Technically, this could be argued to be a "payment-in-kind," that attempts to balance public good with overall town growth. We can argue about weather that balance is acceptable and how the trail may be affected, but with the understanding that the trail is expected to be maintained as a publicly accessible trail regardless. July 15, 2024 Board of Selectmen approved motion: Discontinuance of Reservoir Road: Selectman Cruson moved the resolution: Resolved, that the Newtown Board of Selectmen, in accordance with Section 2-115(d)(8) of the Town Charter and Conn. Gen. Stat. §13a-49, and subject to the conditions set forth below, hereby discontinues an unimproved portion of Reservoir Road described as “Portion of Reservoir Road to be Discontinued “on that certain survey map which will be recorded on the Newtown Land Records titled “Map Showing Portion of Reservoir Road to be Discontinued” dated August, 2023 and revised September 15, 2023, and certified substantially correct by Gregory Szyszowski of SLR (the “Survey Map”), said discontinuance contingent and effective only upon the completion of the following: 1. The approval of an application for the development of land in the manner described in a letter from Attorney Thomas W. Beecher to First Selectman A. Jeffrey Capeci and Members of the Board of Selectmen dated May 30, 2024, pursuant to the “Residential Open Space Development” regulations of the Borough of Newtown by the Borough of Newtown Zoning Commission, and construction of that approval project within the timeframes required for special exception approval; 2. The inclusion of the discontinued portion of the road as part of the final Declaration of Conservation Restriction; 3. The conveyance of a mutually agreeable public easement to the Town of Newtown for pedestrian, bicycling, equestrian, and all other passive recreational uses (to exclude the use of motorized vehicles except as may be necessary by the Town or its designee to effectuate the purpose of the easement), and for municipal utility purposes; Be it further resolved, that Castle Hill Real Estate Holdings, LLC., its successors and assigns, shall not use any portion of the discontinued road as a vehicular road or access way to and from any developed portions of the property. Be it further finally resolved, that should any of the foregoing contingencies not occur, then the discontinuance contemplated herein shall not become effective and this resolution will become null and void. From: https://www.newtown-ct.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif12216/f/minutes/bos_7-15-24_min-_att_final.pdf

Is this paper road (roads that only exist on paper map but not in reality) even owned by the Town? Many roads that predate the Town's road standards are privately owned and were never accepted by the Town, such as many of the nonconforming roads around the lake communities where the property owners own right to the center line. That is something we had to deal with when working on the Roads Ordinance a few years back. We also had to deal with a private road to run the utilities to the new SHS.

For anyone who wants to know, I cant post a link here, but Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority has an entire website. Look up "HRRA whats in whats out"

I Get It!

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