Democracy

Is Dead In Newtown

To the Editor:

Let’s take a look.

February 2007, Legislative Council Meeting, Middle School Cafeteria: Citizens protest selectman’s plan to convert Bridgeport Hall into town offices instead of providing a new roof for the middle school. He ignored the protest and diverted over $11 million from the FFH bond issues for his project. Under the powers given in the FFH Ordinance (7/6/05) funds (bond money, lease money, etc) available may be expended…”at the direction of the First Selectman…”

3/22/07: FFH Authority Minutes: North American Realty advisor expects new building investment of $45–$50 million, creation of 675–900 jobs.

5/15/07: All parking will be shared.

5/17/07: Assessor DeNoto reports anticipated tax revenue from leased Newtown Hall $33,880, Woodbury Hall $62,062, a new 75,000-square-foot building $240,000.

9/29/07: NYA lease signed, town will furnish parking.

Fast forward to 6/5/08: How will the town fund combined parking for NYA, the town, and demolish Greenwich Hall to do so? No Fairfield Hills money is left! FFH Authority agrees to selectmen’s plan to have Newtown Youth Academy’s owner construct the necessary parking. As a private contractor, he can avoid the “prevailing wage law.” Cost: $3.5 million plus 20 years of interest at 6 percent; town will repay over 20 years from town budget. Recently, a town meeting approved bonding this expense to save 20 years of high interest. In the private sector, such cost overruns would not be tolerated. These authority members would have been fired!

Elections campaign 2009: Republicans promise a thorough review of the FFH Master Plan.

2/5/10: “The board set about launching what could be an extended process of engaging the community and considering ideas about possibly reformatting the Fairfield Hill Master Plan.” (The Newtown Bee 2/5/10)

Wait! Go back. (1/8/10) If a thorough review of the master plan is to be undertaken, why did the first selectman have published a legal notice asking for requests for proposal from brokers who want to market FFH?

2/12/10: Special meeting called for 9:30 am for certain members of the FFH Authority to review proposals received from brokers and choose the one they deem best.

What does the first selectman have in mind? If she signs a contract with a broker, will citizens review only the part of FFH that is not part of the hallowed “corporate park” she and others seek? Were citizens asked? Do we have a voice? Obviously not! Democracy is dead in Newtown.

Ruby Johnson, PhD

16 Chestnut Hill, Sandy Hook                                February 17, 2010