Date: Fri 07-Feb-1997

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: LIBRAR

Quick Words:

charter-revision-council

Full Text:

Charter Panel Adjusts Council Minority Representation

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Charter Revision Commission last week voted unanimously to limit the

number of Legislative Council members of any one political party to just two

of the three elected from each district, and two of the three elected

at-large.

This change would guarantee that the minority party or unaffiliated voters

would hold at least four of the 12 seats on the council. Currently the

Democrats hold just three seats to the Republicans' nine.

Two weeks ago, the charter revision panel voted to change the town charter to

allow for three of the 12 Legislative Council candidates to run at-large

rather than by district.

Some members wondered how this change in the charter would affect unaffiliated

candidates.

"The only requirement is that no party have more than two of the three seats,"

explained commission member David Chipman.

Also during last week's meeting, Board of Education members past and present

showed up to reiterate their belief the school board should be kept to just

six members.

Suggestions have been made this past year to create an odd number of members

on the Board of Education to provide more choice for voters at election time.

Some town officials have seen a need for more competition for seats, which

currently are simply filled by the town committees of each party. However,

those who have served on the school board say an odd number could politicize

the board.

School board members Herb Rosenthal, Amy Dent, Isabelle Murray, Peggy

Ulrich-Nims and Charles Nanavaty said the board must remain non-partisan,

pointing out that Board of Education bylaws state partisan politics should be

"left at the door."

Also requesting that things remain status quo on the school board were former

school board members Pat Llodra, Michael Osborne and Bill Denlinger.

"The key when I was on the board was that our members were not different

politically, but philosophically. Kids are not Democrats and Republicans,"

said Mrs Llodra, who is now the principal at Northwest Regional High School in

Winsted.

A decision on the membership of the Board of Education is expected at a future

Charter Revision Commission meeting.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 07-Feb-1997

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