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Hook & Ladder Hosted Open House

Published: Oct 18, 2025 8:00 am

On Saturday, October 11, Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company held its annual Open House. Hook & Ladder was not alone in their driveway at 12 Church Hill Road, however. Members from Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue (NUSAR) team were also there to talk to residents about what both organizations do for the town and surrounding areas. Newtown Strong Therapy Dogs were also present during the cloudy afternoon, and many children took the opportunity to pet the dogs while there.

While some of the younger guests enjoyed the bounce house on site, several others gathered to watch Hook & Ladder volunteers demonstrate how to extricate a person from a car that had been in a serious accident. Included in the event was also a CPR demonstration, and a tour of an ambulance.

The crowd gathered and watched as several firefighters worked to free victims of a crash as part of an open house hosted last weekend by Newtown Hook & Ladeer Co. #1. —Bee Photo, Glass

Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company firefighters, from left, Eric Peterson, Joey Corbo, and Brian Sharnick, smash out a window to gain access to the front windshield post during a demonstration of how firefighters perform extrications following serious accidents. —Bee Photo, Glass

Newtown Strong Therapy Dogs are always a big hit with children and adults. Here, Abygail Castaneda, 4, pets Bobby the therapy dog with her mom, Catalina Vargas, and dad, Willington Castaneda, during the Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company’s annual Open House on October 11. —Bee Photo, Glass

Dawn Singer, representing Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue, discussed the various pieces of equipment used by NUSAR. —Bee Photo, Glass

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Mr. Walczak’s reply is unfortunately emblematic of the political double-speak that frustrates so many residents. Rather than engaging on the substantive issues raised — namely, the balance between quality education and fiscal responsibility — he chose to deflect and assign partisan blame. It’s easy to grandstand about “supporting education.” It’s harder to make responsible decisions that keep Newtown affordable for everyone — families, seniors, and small businesses alike. That’s the work real public servants are doing, even when it’s not politically convenient.

Responds To Walczak

*Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on the education budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC.

Mr. Walczak, I read it multiple times before submitting my letter and again afterward. Nowhere in your letter do you mention Legislative Council. Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC. In addition, I noted that you didn't respond to the more substantive issue highlighted in my letter -- school funding and impact on our residents. Your initial letter seemed to indicate that "Republicans" were misguided in challenging budget requests. Regardless of whether you were talking about LC or BOE, is it your position that 64.8% of every tax dollar is not enough to adequately fund our schools? Are you advocating to spend more money? It feels like your Letter to the Editor is at odds with your campaign pitch of affordability.

It sounds like I hit a nerve! So let’s set the record straight, shall we… True - I did vote in favor of the municipal budget, which was a very reasonable 2.75%. Regarding not opening the BOE budget book in 2024, again, true. But what Chris & Eric failed to point out is that while I listened to all the predictable line items followed by predictable questions followed by predictable answers, and the Democrats predictably voting to give the BOE everything they asked for, I was the only LC member that concentrated on the side of the equation where 700 people in Newtown can’t pay their taxes, 400 rely upon the food pantry to put food on their table, and there are 115 homes that are in foreclosure. And while I am not on the BOE subcommittee, unlike my democratic friends, I made it a point to meet with the superintendent(s) both budget seasons face to face. So, to accuse me of “blindly” cutting the BOE budget is a blatant and despicable lie. What else did they lie about? Twenty-eight school positions were removed; the positions were never filled and the world survived. What else did they lie about? BOE passed in a bipartisan fashion? Half-lie: in 2024 they again tried to jam a 5% BOE tax increase through only to have it rejected at referendum. I proposed a 2.75% compromise that ultimately passed. What else did they lie about? My failure to mention the reduction in state aid and the increase in insurance premiums? Newtown needs to be run like an efficient company to be successful. I am not against education; I just want the school administration to make the most out of every dollar. Right now, $.66 out of every tax collected goes towards the BOE budget. And finally, my failure to offer solutions to raise revenue? I proposed a “Tanglewood model” compromise for 6 Commerce Road that could potentially generate in millions of dollars in revenue for the town. I proposed and am still in favor of an ordinance for peaceful protesting that would save the town potentially $225k in police overtime. My Democratic friends didn’t even want to consider that. And what solutions have C&E offered? Eric wanted to ADD $300K to the BOE budget for a kindergarten class that had no impact on learning Spanish! And Chis wanted the parents to pick up the tab for extracurricular activities THAT THEY ALREADY pay for. Don’t throw rocks if you live in glass houses. One of our main responsibilities on the Legislative Council is advocating taxpayers’ dollars in the best interests of the Town and trying to make it more affordable without degrading services. Unfortunately, the Democrats can’t run on “affordability” since they already jammed the residents of Newtown with a huge tax increase last year, but I still can. I am humbly asking for your support on or before Nov 4th. Thanks to C&E to giving me the opportunity to respond and clear everything up.

Democratic Response To Political Attack Letter

Not one question about the cost of implementing this system. Yes, there is a donation with strings attached. We've been there before and now we're bonding new monies regularly to maintain or repair those 'donations' like the community center. I think Deb is right to say she doesn't have enough information to make an informed decision. I'd like to know what it costs taxpayers to maintain & upgrade this system that seems to be on balance fairly unpopular.

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Hook & Ladder Hosted Open House

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