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Moving Communities Forward Is The Goal For Facilitator

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: June 28, 2013 12:00 am

It takes stamina, experience, and a belief in one’s self and others to turn chaos into transformation. Standing in front of The Sandy Hook School Building Task Force the evening of April 5, Richard Ha...

Maine Man Proposes Large-Scale Horse Facility In Town

By Andy Hutchison

Published: June 28, 2013 12:00 am

Imagine an Old Sturbridge Village-like complex complete with a farrier/blacksmith shop, general store with a potbelly stove, farm animals, and several horse barn structures for riding lessons and perf...

A Fine Send-Off For Library Director

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: June 28, 2013 12:00 am

Dozens of people gathered at a special reception, Friday afternoon, June 26, to honor departing C.H. Booth Library director Janet Woycik. Hosted by the library Board of Directors, guests included many...

A Fine Send-Off For Library Director

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: June 28, 2013 12:00 am

Moving Communities Forward Is The Goal For Facilitator

By Nancy K. Crevier

Published: June 28, 2013 12:00 am

Maine Man Proposes Large-Scale Horse Facility In Town

By Andy Hutchison

Published: June 28, 2013 12:00 am

Police Reports June 17 - 25, 2013

Published: June 27, 2013 12:00 am

DUI Incident Police report that at about 10:30 pm on June 18, they spotted motorist Nomia Durrani, 31, of Easton driving on Wasserman Way, near Trades Lane. Durrani was not keeping to the right a...

12/14 And Related Issues Presented Bolinsky With An Atypical Freshman Term

By John Voket

Published: June 27, 2013 12:00 am

Shortly after he took his oath of office to represent Newtown in Connecticut's 106th District, Mitch Bolinsky came to The Bee with a stack of proposals, and to talk about what he hoped to accomplish i...

12/14 And Related Issues Presented Bolinsky With An Atypical Freshman Term

By John Voket

Published: June 27, 2013 12:00 am

Fire Reports June 17 - 23, 2013

Published: June 27, 2013 12:00 am

The dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center at 3 Main Street report the following fire calls and the responders: Thursday, June 20: 12:22 pm, motor vehicle accident, near 55 Dod...

Fire Reports | April 28-May 4, 2026

Just Over The Border: Southeast Kitchen And Bath’s New Showroom

Police Reports | April 27-May 3, 2026

Silent Auction To Coincide With Garden Club Standard Flower Show

BOE CFF Discusses Itemized Estimates, Summer CIP Projects

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Moving Communities Forward Is The Goal For Facilitator

Maine Man Proposes Large-Scale Horse Facility In Town

A Fine Send-Off For Library Director

A Fine Send-Off For Library Director

Moving Communities Forward Is The Goal For Facilitator

Maine Man Proposes Large-Scale Horse Facility In Town

Police Reports June 17 - 25, 2013

12/14 And Related Issues Presented Bolinsky With An Atypical Freshman Term

12/14 And Related Issues Presented Bolinsky With An Atypical Freshman Term

Fire Reports June 17 - 23, 2013