News

Group Resumes Fundraising Drive For New Police Station

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: December 01, 2014 12:00 am

A nonprofit group is resuming its fundraising drive to collect money that would be used to build a new police station for the 45-member town police department. Town police have long sought new quarter...

Community Center, Mental Health Facility Enter FFH Discussions

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: December 01, 2014 12:00 am

Plans for a community center and a proposed mental health facility filled conversation during the Fairfield Hills Authority’s meeting on Monday, November 24. In November 2013, that will be used towar...

Forums Slated On FFH Residential Uses Begin Saturday

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: December 01, 2014 12:00 am

The possibility of incorporating a residential element into Fairfield Hills redevelopment has again entered conversations, which will be opened to the public this month. First Selectman Pat Llodra on ...

Multifamily Complexes: December 4 Hearing Set On Mixed-Income Housing

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: November 29, 2014 12:00 am

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) is scheduled to conduct a public hearing on a proposed overlay zone intended for high-density, multifamily housing, which would include an “affordable housing”...

Police Seize Five Pounds Of Marijuana At Sobriety Checkpoint

Published: November 28, 2014 12:00 am

During a sobriety checkpoint held last weekend at Fairfield Hills, police stopped a vehicle to check on whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and then found approximately ...

Recreation Commission Makes Policy Changes For Field Use

By Andy Hutchison

Published: November 28, 2014 12:00 am

The balancing act of providing field space for youth and adult athletics and accommodating a combination of the most competitive of those children (and their parents), as well as out-of-town players o...

Water Issues On The Preserve Top Residents' Subdivision Concerns

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: November 28, 2014 12:00 am

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members are reviewing a range of concerns from residents who attended a November 20 public hearing on The Preserve at Newtown, a 23-lot residential subdivision pro...

Old Hawleyville Post Office Demolished; Site Redevelopment Planned

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: November 26, 2014 12:00 am

The building that had served as Hawleyville’s post office for decades was swiftly torn down this week by a town crew wielding an excavator. The structure fell to the ground in pieces at the site where...

Turkey Trot Traffic Note, Weather Watch

Published: November 26, 2014 12:00 am

The 2014 Newtown Savings Bank Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, to benefit the C. H. Booth Library, will take place Thursday morning. Travelers can expect brief delays and road closures Thursday, November...

P&Z Endorses Hook & Ladder Firehouse Plan

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: November 26, 2014 12:00 am

Following discussion at a November 20 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) session, P&Z members unanimously endorsed Newtown Hook & Ladder, Company, No. 1’s proposal to build a firehouse on Church Hil...

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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Group Resumes Fundraising Drive For New Police Station

Community Center, Mental Health Facility Enter FFH Discussions

Forums Slated On FFH Residential Uses Begin Saturday

Multifamily Complexes: December 4 Hearing Set On Mixed-Income Housing

Police Seize Five Pounds Of Marijuana At Sobriety Checkpoint

Recreation Commission Makes Policy Changes For Field Use

Water Issues On The Preserve Top Residents' Subdivision Concerns

Old Hawleyville Post Office Demolished; Site Redevelopment Planned

Turkey Trot Traffic Note, Weather Watch

P&Z Endorses Hook & Ladder Firehouse Plan