News

Charter Revision Vote May Be Delayed Until 2016, More Review Requested

By John Voket

Published: July 18, 2015 12:00 am

Three individuals, all town officials addressing the Charter Revision Commission July 15, have recommended the panel not rush the final steps of the process simply to get a proposed overhaul of Newtow...

Lewis, Blumenthal Celebrate US Senate Passage Of Education Bill

By Associated Press

Published: July 18, 2015 12:00 am

HARTFORD (AP) — Proposed federal education legislation to fund social and emotional learning skills training for teachers would help prevent violence such as mass shootings, the mother of a 6-year-old...

Council Agrees To Keep Firearms Ordinance Intact

By John Voket

Published: July 18, 2015 12:00 am

Following discussion and deliberation a week earlier by the Legislative Council’s Ordinance Committee, Chairman Ryan Knapp recommended July 15 that the full council suspend any plans to modify the tow...

River Walk Condo Proposal Draws Criticism On Traffic And Size

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 17, 2015 12:00 am

This is an expanded version of a story that appears in the July 17, 2015 print edition of The Newtown Bee. Criticism about the traffic effects and the size of a 74-unit condominium complex ...

Off-Duty Newtown Policeman Involved In Night-Time Crash

Published: July 17, 2015 12:00 am

SOUTHBURY — An off-duty Newtown police officer was involved in a one-car accident on Main Street South early on the morning of July 11. Southbury police said that Michael McGowan, 42, was driving a 20...

BOF Approves Toddy Hill Bridge Grant, Hears About Fuel Issue

By John Voket

Published: July 17, 2015 12:00 am

The Board of Finance on July 13 approved spending a $2.6 million state grant to complete a Toddy Hill Road bridge replacement and re-engineering of the intersection at Berkshire Road (Route 34). While...

Residents Sought For Commission Posts

Published: July 16, 2015 12:00 am

First Selectman Pat Llodra is seeking residents to fill several opening on local appointed boards and commissions. In some cases the appointments are required to be affiliated with a specific politica...

Police Plan Crackdown On Speeding Motorists

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 16, 2015 12:00 am

Town police have received approval for a $23,800 grant from the state, with that money to be used for police overtime pay for speed enforcement and for the acquisition of speed-detection radar equipme...

Queen Street Getting New Water Pipes

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 16, 2015 12:00 am

Hawleyville Retail Center Under IWC Review

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: July 14, 2015 12:00 am

The Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) is reviewing the environmental protection aspects of a proposal to construct an approximately 4,400-square-foot retail center on an undeveloped 1.12-acre site at 1...

Poet Laureate Deserves Support

Fire Reports | June 17-24, 2026

Hawley, Middle Gate Go All Out For Field Day

Confession Curated Clothing Ready For Shoppers

Commission On Aging Offered Updates, Answered Housing Questions

With the publication of installment No. 26, Trump’s Triumphs has now consumed enough broadsheet paper—approximately 3.6 miles—to stretch from the center of Newtown, past the dump, and nearly to Sand Hill Plaza. That is the amount of paper used to print these 26 installments alone. Do you think they will stop before we get to Monroe? If Trump becomes 48 in 28 then we would make the sound for sure!

Elections Have Consequences XXVI

Dave, you are right that only those in the Borough signed onto the law suits, as it was made clear during the Borough meetings that signers had to be residents of the Borough. However, as you know, there was a concerted effort by the Newtown Conservation Coalition to organize people (throughout town) and to orchestrate actions intended to foil the overall development. If one searches the Bee for “Newtown Conservation Coalition” one will find many articles and editorials that cite the coalition. More that 18 of those articles and editorials, from March 2024 through February 2025, are about the Castle Hill Development and include direct quotes from the NCC head/founder including, e.g.,: 1) Newtown Conservation Coalition founder Dave Ackert has sagely urged his fellow NCC members to “stick to the relevant regulations issues and concerns in your testimony,” as “general opinions and concerns will not be considered when making their decision." [https://www.newtownbee.com/08292024/borough-zoning-to-begin-20-60-castle-hill-public-hearing." [https://www.newtownbee.com/08292024/borough-zoning-to-begin-20-60-castle-hill-public-hearing] 2) “We’re being sold a lot of things,” said Ackert. “The developer said he is going above and beyond in preserving open space, but the only part [of the plan] that doesn’t have houses are the steep slopes. He’s not avoiding buildable land, he’s using every buildable inch.” [https://www.newtownbee.com/09272024/borough-zoning-hears-perspectives-on-castle-hill-development] In addition to the articles and editorials, you (Dave) also wrote over 8 letters related to the development, in essence speaking for the residents, e.g., saying “On behalf of hundreds of concerned residents living within 500 feet who signed protest petitions, and residents downstream who’s property and finances could also be negatively impacted, I ask the BOS to rescind the discontinuance decision now.” [https://www.newtownbee.com/07102025/discusses-rochambeau-trail-and-6-commerce-road] The main tools for the Newtown Conservation Coalition are FOI complaints and legal action. These actions have increased the amount both the Town and the Borough have had to pay for legal counsel over the last few years. The cost is shared by all households and businesses for Town actions. Unfortunately, it is shared by very few, relatively speaking, for Borough actions. This year’s Borough costs are $58,000 to date. There were FOIA/legal actions in 2024 and 2025 too. Eventually, we will all see if that was money well spent. My sense is that the answer is no.

What’s Going On In The Borough?

my concern is not limited to this single FOIA request or this one case. It is the broader pattern of obstructionism, fear-mongering, and personal nastiness reflected in your Facebook page and other public commentary. You routinely call people to action by presenting only one side of complicated issues, assigning the worst possible motives to those who disagree with you, and giving little consideration to the legitimate concerns or perspectives on the other side. That may generate outrage and attention, but it does not make you a constructive participant in Newtown’s civic affairs. You are entitled to question public officials and pursue whatever legal remedies are available to you. But you should not pretend that your own conduct, rhetoric, and repeated escalation of disputes have played no role in the hostility and expense surrounding these matters. Newtown would be a nicer and more productive community with less of this kind of divisive behavior.

My "actions" were a single request for audio recordings of public meetings. It would have cost the Borough ZERO dollars to turn those over, as required by law. Instead, the Chair of the Borough Zoning commission decided, unilaterally, without informing the rest of his commission, to fight that Freedom of Information request. Mr. Johnson attempt to deflect blame falls flat on its face here. Facts matter.

Can you name a single person involved in one of the lawsuits who does not reside in the Borough? I'll wait......

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Charter Revision Vote May Be Delayed Until 2016, More Review Requested

Lewis, Blumenthal Celebrate US Senate Passage Of Education Bill

Council Agrees To Keep Firearms Ordinance Intact

River Walk Condo Proposal Draws Criticism On Traffic And Size

Off-Duty Newtown Policeman Involved In Night-Time Crash

BOF Approves Toddy Hill Bridge Grant, Hears About Fuel Issue

Residents Sought For Commission Posts

Police Plan Crackdown On Speeding Motorists

Queen Street Getting New Water Pipes

Hawleyville Retail Center Under IWC Review