News

Facing Stiff Opposition, DEEP Plans Modifications To Stormwater Permitting

By John Voket

Published: December 31, 2014 12:00 am

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) says it is considering modifications to key provisions of proposed new permit requirements for the management and oversight of mu...

Residents Sought For Commission Posts

Published: December 31, 2014 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...

Republican Registrar Karin Aurelia Retires

By John Voket

Published: December 31, 2014 12:00 am

Republican Registrar of Voters Karin Aurelia has retired from her elected post after 12 years of service. She was honored on her last day, December 18, with a small reception at the Newtown Municipal ...

P&Z Considers Creating New Multifamily Zoning Rules

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 29, 2014 12:00 am

In anticipation of a developer pursuing the construction of a multifamily complex, including an affordable housing component, the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) is continuing its review of the p...

All Parties Set To Meet On Future Of Parent Connection Duplex

By John Voket

Published: December 29, 2014 12:00 am

For First Selectman Pat Llodra, it must be like a twisted version of Groundhog Day, the black comedy where Bill Murray keeps waking up to the same day over and over again. Except for the first selectm...

Serenading Sandy Hook With Seasonal Songs

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: December 27, 2014 12:00 am

Under Christmas trees in the glow of decorative street lamps, carolers spent time filling the quiet night with song December 20. Trinity Productions for the second year in a row put on its “Night of S...

Preserve At Newtown: Water Supply Issues Dominate P&Z Review Of Subdivision Proposal

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 27, 2014 12:00 am

Several Scudder Road area residents, who spoke at a December 18 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing on the proposed Preserve at Newtown 23-lot residential subdivision, stressed they fe...

Fire Reports, December 18-23, 2014

Published: December 26, 2014 12:00 am

The radio dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at Town Hall South, 3 Main Street, report the following fire calls and the responders: Thursday, December 18: No calls listed. ...

Llodra, Hwang Join Flood Of Opposition To New DEEP Storm Water Regulations

By John Voket

Published: December 24, 2014 12:00 am

As shoppers, travelers, and commuters passed by or parked overhead during the rainy Christmas holiday, storm water infused with surplus pesticides left over on lawns mixed with sand and ice melt chemi...

Sending Prayers To Peshawar

Published: December 24, 2014 12:00 am

Snapshot: Debi Modzelewski

10U Baseball State Tourney Will Take Place At Glander Field Complex

Newtown Rail Trail Fundraising Goal Reached, Clearing Way For Construction

My Backyard Habitat: Pollen Distribution — How Plants Are Pollinated

FONS Holds Third Annual Membership Dinner

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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Facing Stiff Opposition, DEEP Plans Modifications To Stormwater Permitting

Residents Sought For Commission Posts

Republican Registrar Karin Aurelia Retires

P&Z Considers Creating New Multifamily Zoning Rules

All Parties Set To Meet On Future Of Parent Connection Duplex

Serenading Sandy Hook With Seasonal Songs

Preserve At Newtown: Water Supply Issues Dominate P&Z Review Of Subdivision Proposal

Fire Reports, December 18-23, 2014

Llodra, Hwang Join Flood Of Opposition To New DEEP Storm Water Regulations

Sending Prayers To Peshawar