Occupation: I am the assistant vice president for development and alumni affairs at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. I've been there for five years and I'm responsible for managing the relationship of the university and the alumni. That means I d

By NANCY CREVIER

Published: Oct 17, 2008 12:00 am

Occupation: I am the assistant vice president for development and alumni affairs at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. Iâve been there for five years and Iâm responsible for managing the relationship of the university and the alumni. That means I do things like keeping the alumni informed and engaged with the university, helping them with career networking, and hopefully encouraging them to support their alma mater financially. One of the most important parts of my job is raising money for scholarships.

Family: My husband, Greg, and I have a 2-year-old son, Oliver, and we have the mystery child due in March of 2009.

Pets: We still have our very first baby, Chester, our 10-year-old black Chinese pug. He was picked up as a runaway at the shelter when I lived in Spokane, Wash. Heâs very special.

How long have you lived in Newtown? Iâve been here since 2002 when we got married. I moved here from Washington, but Greg had lived in Newtown for ten years already.

What do you like to do in your free time? I love theater and music, so I love to take any opportunity to sneak into Manhattan and take part in what Broadway has to offer. My job offers the opportunities to take in a lot of the basketball and hockey games at the TD Banknorth Sports Center at Quinnipiac, too, which is really fun. In fact, Oliver is named after one of the Quinnipiac hockey players.

Do you have a favorite Broadway show? The most fun has to be Mama Mia! Iâve seen it three times. And Wicked is just phenomenal. I canât believe it, but I havenât seen The Lion King yet, that would be fun. The great thing about live musical theater is what they can pull off with everyone sitting right there. Itâs magical.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? Our retreat is our beach house in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., which we donât get to nearly often enough. Itâs on an island in a real neighborhood. We can walk down our street and end up on this white sand beach and spend all day there. Thereâs nothing like it.

What is the best thing about Newtown?Â I love Main Street. Itâs as simple as having something as iconic as the flagpole to Edmond Town Hall Theatre, to the Inn at Newtown. We can drive down Main Street and there are places that have significant spots in our memories: wedding photos at The Pleasance, the Labor Day Parade. And the great thing, too, is that there are professionals here â doctors, dentists, lawyers â who are also just great people. They carry out the spirit of Newtown in providing their services.

Do you have a hero? My maternal grandmother, Hilda Cherry. She passed away two years ago. She came from a very poor background, wasnât educated, but she was probably the hardest working and most fun person I have ever met in my life. I never had a bad day with grandma.

Do you have a personal philosophy? Probably Nietzscheâs âWhat does not kill me, makes me stronger.â

What is the most important lesson you have ever learned? Sometimes you have to make hard decision to find joy in your life.

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The Editor suggest a meeting between the "Rock This Democracy " and the Police Commission. As a former Police Commissioner the Chief should have followed the chain of command and discussed this with the Police Commission. The Chief reports to the Elected Police Commission not our Republican First Selection. Can't help but feel this is Republican politics again making an issue out of a non issue.

Assembly Ordinance?

I support Chief Kullgren’s request to explore permitting, and cost-sharing for large gatherings. The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, and I fully support the constitutional right to free speech and assembly. However, where and how often these protests occur matters. Main Street is not just a symbol — it’s a vital artery for daily life in town. When events are held there monthly, and at increasing scale, they cause disruption to residents, businesses, and traffic. While the Rock This Democracy group may describe these protests as unique or urgent, the frequency — roughly once every two weeks this spring — suggests more of a recurring series than a singular, spontaneous moment of civic expression. This isn’t about silencing anyone. It’s about fairness, public safety, and fiscal responsibility. Every time a protest happens, our police department is forced to assign resources, often on overtime. That expense adds up quickly. If any group wants to use public space regularly, particularly in a way that impacts traffic and requires police presence, then it’s reasonable for the town to consider permitting and cost-sharing — just as we do for other organized events like races, festivals, or parades. Let’s protect everyone’s rights — including the right of the community to function smoothly and the right of taxpayers not to bear undue cost for repeated events. I trust the Council to consider a reasonable path forward that balances speech with responsibility.

David, your passion for transparency would carry more weight if it weren’t routinely wielded like a cudgel. Let's set the record straight: no one is against easier access to documents or better online availability—we all want an informed public. But there's a difference between constructive advocacy and the kind of grandstanding that costs this town time, morale, and taxpayer money. You cite Ridgefield’s practices—great. Let's talk about that like adults. But instead, what we see is a steady stream of accusatory posts, legal challenges, and FOIA blitzes aimed less at solving problems and more at creating headlines. It’s not “slander” to point out that your approach often does more to divide and exhaust than to help. I’ve been at the very meetings you claim are inaccessible or opaque. I’ve seen your group turn logistical hiccups into conspiracy theories. I’ve watched as staff—who already work overtime—are dragged into another fishing expedition while real civic needs are left hanging. You’re not just pushing for access; you’re using the tools of open government to grind its gears to a halt. That’s not progress. That’s obstruction dressed up as advocacy. And the people paying for it—literally—are your neighbors. Let’s stop pretending it’s just about uploading PDFs. The issue here is how we engage. We can have real conversations about modernization without constant accusations, FOIA skirmishes, and Facebook pile-ons. Until then, I’ll continue to call out tactics that undermine, not uplift, our town.

Calls For Policies To Create Greater Transparency

The bottom line is this: costs are up, and no group—including teachers—is exempt. Ignoring Anthem’s recommended 22% increase last year may have directly caused the $2 million shortfall. Everyone has to share in the fix. That might mean higher premiums and leaner benefits. Complaints alone won’t solve the problem—realistic solutions will. I urge all Newtown Teachers to email their Union leaders and express their support for higher premiums.

Discusses Town Self-Funded Insurance Plan

Its really easy to make assertions and cast doubts from behind a keyboard....a little too easy aparently. You might try conducting the actual research BEFORE doing it next time. If you do, you too will find that there's no need to imagine such a policy to improve public transparency and participation. Take a look at Ridgefield's P&Z meeting agendas on their website for starters. They are just one town that provide links to electronic copies of applications and other public documents, so that their commissioners and residents can easily access them and be well-informed, before meetings and public hearings occur and without making them drive to town hall (during business hours) to ask their land use staff to pull the files and make copies of them, saving everyone time (time is money), and gasoline, and missed work. Most applicants alrleady submit electronic copies, and for those who don't, it's a lot easier for a staffer to scan them once, than to have to make copies every time someone asks for them. And please don't misrepresent or slander those who advocate for smart, low impact & sustainable development policies and practices as 'anti-development'.

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Occupation: I am the assistant vice president for development and alumni affairs at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. I've been there for five years and I'm responsible for managing the relationship of the university and the alumni. That means I d

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