Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

FHH-Wasserman-Lovegrove

Full Text:

Legislators To Meet With P&Z On Fairfield Hills

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Two state legislators from the area are scheduled to meet with members of the

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) soon to discuss potential future uses of

the Fairfield Hills Hospital grounds and buildings.

State Rep Julia Wasserman of Newtown and State Sen Fred Lovegrove of Fairfield

are slated to discuss the sprawling state property with the P&Z at a session

scheduled for 7:30 pm on Thursday, September 21, in Town Hall South.

Mrs Wasserman served as chairman of the ad hoc group known as the Fairfield

Hills Task Force, which after a year of hearings and deliberations presented a

schematic plan for the future use of the Fairfield Hills property, including

the reuse of existing facilities, plus new uses. The task force presented its

report during the summer of 1994. Mr Lovegrove served as a member of the

14-member task force.

In formulating its report, the task force sought to balance the needs of the

state, the region, and the town. The report came in light of the state's

decreasing use of Fairfield Hills as it pursues a policy of psychiatric

patient "deinstitutionalization." The psychiatric unit at Fairfield Hills is

expected to close early next year with the transfer of patients still

requiring institutionalization being sent to Connecticut Valley Hospital in

Middletown.

Recommendations made in the task force report include: most of the open space

land at Fairfield Hills should be preserved as open space; recreational use of

the land should continue and expand; several buildings should be used for

general administrative office space; businesses should be located in existing

vacant or future vacant buildings; land should be reserved for future economic

development; a regional educational presence should be encouraged on the

hospital campus; affordable housing and housing for the elderly should be

provided to meet established needs starting with development of a plan for the

use of existing buildings; and open space areas on the campus should have

buffer zones between them and existing developed and future developed areas.

A so-called implementation oversight committee is being organized to oversee

the plan proposed by the task force. The committee will report to the state

Office of Policy and Management.

A notable recent use of the hospital grounds has been as a film location for

the motion picture "Sleepers." Film crews worked at the campus September 5,

photographing the former Western Substance Abuse Treatment Unit building as a

boys' detention center for the feature film. The moviemakers are expected to

return to Fairfield Hills for more photography in November.

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

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