On Tuesday, January 13, Newtown Borough Board of Burgesses held a regular meeting in which they offered general updates to the public regarding previous meeting topics.

Warden Jay Maher first discussed the proposed soliciting ordinance that had been discussed at other meetings. Jordana Bloom, a member of the Legislative Council Ordinance Committee, will offer updates to the Borough as they come. Burgess Peter Schwarz informed the board that the Ordinance Committee will have another meeting on February 5, and he has requested a copy of what the committee is working on from Bloom to share with the burgesses.

Maher also mentioned that he and Burgess Maureen Crick Owen “sat in” on a meeting regarding the Safe Streets 4 All program where the final draft was presented.

“It’s a very thorough report,” Maher said. “I think Burgess Crick would agree with that. It addresses three different areas in the Borough that [SS4A] wish to improve.” He added that the final report will be available to the public “soon.”

Burgess Jim Gaston and Senior Burgess Chris Gardner met with First Selectman Bruce Walczak and Finance Director Glenys Salas regarding the Borough insurance policy. Maher said that the board is “moving the ball forward” as a few applications have been filled out and submitted for review.

Gaston said he is working on a letter of understanding between the Borough and the town regarding the insurance policy. He added, “The obvious rational logic is that if there was no Borough, the town would be assuming about half a million dollars’ worth of stuff that the Borough does.”

Gardner and Gaston agreed that the meeting went well, and Gardner said that the town “did pledge financial support to the Borough.”

The meeting carried on, and Joseph Chapman, the Borough’s zoning enforcement officer, offered a brief update regarding 69 Main Street. The building department is reviewing the application and inspecting the entire project. The department is now waiting for a report.

In the “Sidewalks” portion of the meeting, Maher updated the group regarding the new sidewalks at 21 and 23 Queen Street, or Newtown Middle School to Grand Place. He plans to meet with Town Engineer John Curtis to see if “Public Works has anything that they can help us with.”

Crick Owen reminded Maher that American Relief Plan Act (ARPA) funds have to be used by the end of this year. The Borough currently has some funds set aside for this sidewalk project.

“And that’s why I’m bringing it up in January … I’ve verbalized it. It’s in the universe,” Maher joked. He also added that there are two maple trees in that area that need to be removed, and Tree Warden Robbie McCulloch was able to get Public Works to acquire a purchase order to do so.

The board also briefly addressed the advertising truck that has been seen around town. At the last meeting, they mentioned possibly creating an ordinance to bar the truck’s activity in the Borough.

Burgess John Madzula said he does not necessarily want to push the truck out, as he is a “local guy” and has been supporting local businesses with the mobile advertisements. Gardner expressed his distaste for the truck.

Gaston informed the board that there are some “tools” they could use to limit activity from the truck, but the board ultimately decided to table the discussion and monitor future activity.

Following the close of the regular meeting, the board went into executive session to continue discussion of the Castle Hill zoning case.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.