Military Base Proposal Prompts Meeting With Senators’, Congressman’s Reps

By Kendra Bobowick

A letter from the first selectman prompted an upcoming conversation on March 4 about a military base — or not — in Newtown. Arranging for a visit are representatives from the offices of Senators Christopher Dodd and Joe Lieberman, and Congressman Chris Murphy.

“They want to come and talk about how they might help us,” First Selectman Joe Borst told fellow selectman at a recent meeting.

Dated February 5, Mr Borst had penned a written appeal per Selectman Herb Rosenthal’s prompt, asking the senators and congressman to “look into” this matter of a Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) training base that the military would like to see in Newtown.

Asking for “anything you can do to help” the Army and the town, he concluded his letter: “Maybe together we can get this job done.”

On March 4 at 2 pm in the lower meeting room in the Edmond Town Hall, the representatives will meet with town officials during a meeting open to the public.

“If they want to help, I am all for it,” said Mr Rosenthal last Tuesday, February 17, during a Board of Selectmen’s meeting. This week, he explained the reasons he suggested contacting the delegation. “I proposed that we ask their assistance to make sure the military doesn’t try to impose its will on Newtown,” he said. The Fairfield Hills High Meadow is “not an appropriate” location for a training base, he stressed. “I wanted the congressman and senators to help make sure they don’t force us.” Mentioning the rights of eminent domain, he is wary of past promises. “[The military has] said they won’t go where they’re not wanted …” he said.

He had also asked that Mr Borst convey to the state and federal offices any correspondence between the town and military, “So they understand [the town’s concern] is not arbitrary,” Mr Rosenthal said. Specifically, town officials wish to preserve the pristine High Meadow. The Tech Park location and Batchelder site in Botsford, which Mr Borst has mentioned to the military several times, do not fit the BRAC specifications for a base relocation.

Adding his thoughts about a base relocation this week, Selectman Paul Mangiafico was also concerned about the interest in the High Meadow. “The Army said it had to have contiguous property to the horse guard and we were clear and unequivocal; no, we don’t want it to be Fairfield Hills.” The Tech Park site is also a problem for him. Although Mr Borst mentioned that location to the military, he had not talked it over with the other selectmen, Mr Mangiafico said.

Anticipating a “full-blown” turnout, he wonders if the town hall meeting room will be large enough to accommodate the residents interested in speaking during the meeting’s public comment period.

Coming to town on behalf of Senator Dodd are Director of Constituent Services Mark Stephanou or case worker Lois Santiago, who deals with military affairs.

Senator Lieberman’s and Congressman Murphy’s offices will be sending representatives.

Discussions about a training base have been ongoing since early November when the military sought to purchase roughly 13 acres at the High Meadow site in the open fields along Wasserman Way across from the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard. When officials rejected the idea, Mr Borst recommended the Batchelder property — a former aluminum smelting plant, which he mentioned again in his February 5 letter, stating, “Newtown has the Batchelder property available.” Noting that the property has contaminants, his letter states, “I also think recoverable brownfields should be considered.”

In the correspondence between the town and military, the first selectman made clear that the High Meadow is not for sale.

After the military’s initial appeal for the site, subsequent letters from the first selectman’s office had mentioned Batchelder or the Technology Park site at the end of Commerce Road, also accessible by traveling down Trades Lane and turning right until the pavement turns to a dirt, rutted path leading down toward Deep Brook.