A Foundation For Newtown’s Future

To the Editor:

The timing is right. We have public awareness of the need for charter changes. The members of the Charter Revision Commission and their supporters are making every effort to educate voters on the questions that will appear on the ballot. This coming weekend you will no doubt run into these people all around town. They will be distributing pamphlets describing the ballot questions and the reasons by a YES vote is the right decision to make on Election Day.

Implementing change can be a difficult process for some of us. It is easier to say, “We need more time”; “Let’s study these changes more”; etc. The truth is that we have taken the time and we have studied these changes (for over a year). We must begin the process of change now if we are to build a sound foundation for our governmental structure in the years ahead. If we call another Charter Revision Commission and add more changes before we implement those we are voting on this Election Day, the process for change will be unduly complex.

We have to start preparing our town for the challenges that lie before us. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Board of Finance in place to analyze the master plan that will be formulated for Fairfield Hills? How about a referendum on this plan instead of a town meeting? That’s in the new charter! If we wait, these decisions will have been made already. Time is of the essence. Vote YES on all five charter revision questions and put in place the foundation upon which we can build for the future of Newtown.

Sincerely,

William Sheluck, Jr

36 Greenleaf Farms Road               October 30, 2001