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FHA Members Discuss 12/14 Memorial, Plymouth Hall Reuse, Expenses

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Mar 27, 2014 12:00 AM

From prospective tenants to memorial bench locations, Fairfield Hills Authority members this month discussed a grab bag of topics. FHA Chair Thomas Connors first noted the several parties interested i...

Architect: New School To Draw Inspiration From Nature, Community

By John Voket

Published: Mar 27, 2014 12:00 AM

Barry Svigals, a principal at Svigals + Partners, says he has derived much inspiration for conceptual designs of the new Sandy Hook Elementary School from the natural environment of its site, as well ...

Program Doubled Residential Solar Use; Discounts Through March 31

By Kendra Bobowick

Published: Mar 26, 2014 12:00 AM

The Solarize Newtown initiative was a success, said Sustainable Energy Commission chairman Kathy Quinn. The program, a town and state sponsored initiative aimed to increase residential solar energy us...

Improving Weather Brings Heightened Traffic Enforcement

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Mar 26, 2014 12:00 AM

Now that the long, cold winter of 2014 is coming to an end and spring weather is emerging, motorists are driving more. That increase in traffic means that town police are stepping up their motor vehic...

CT Poised To Adopt $10.10 Minimum Wage Wednesday

By Mark Pazniokas, ©The Connecticut Mirror

Published: Mar 25, 2014 12:00 AM

HARTFORD — With votes scheduled Wednesday, Connecticut is poised to become the first state to adopt a $10.10 minimum wage, delivering on an election-year priority of Gov Dannel P. Malloy. The Democrat...

State Safety Commissioner Restores 24/7 Trooper Coverage At State Police Barracks Across The State

Published: Mar 25, 2014 12:00 AM

MIDDLETOWN — Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Commissioner Dora B. Schriro announced on Monday the restoration of 24/7 trooper coverage at all State Police barracks acros...

Llodra Joins Regional Officials Opposing Tree Trimming Moratorium

By John Voket

Published: Mar 25, 2014 12:00 AM

First Selectman Pat Llodra has signed on to letters that were sent March 20 to Governor Dannel Malloy and Nicholas E. Neeieyl, executive secretary of the CT Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA...

Council Moves To Publish Entire Town Payroll

By John Voket

Published: Mar 24, 2014 12:00 AM

Sandy Hook resident Richard Fenaroli firmly believes an informed taxpayer will tend to be more involved in the budget process. To that end, he formally requested the Legislative Council act to publish...

Church Hill Road Redevelopment Project Gains Approval

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: Mar 22, 2014 12:00 AM

A Trumbull firm has gained Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) approval to construct a gas station/convenience store, including a food service area, at 67 Church Hill Road, at that street’s western c...

A Day To Celebrate The Library

Published: Mar 21, 2014 12:00 AM

The public is invited to celebrate the reopening of the C.H. Booth Library, Saturday, March 22, during regular library hours, 9:30 am to 5 pm. After remediation for flooding that occurred January 4, n...

The Way We Were

Silver Alert For Blue McGrath Ended

Top Of The Mountain

Cargo Van Driver Taken To Hospital Following Collision With Gas Tanker

Knotweed Initiative Program Planned

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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FHA Members Discuss 12/14 Memorial, Plymouth Hall Reuse, Expenses

Architect: New School To Draw Inspiration From Nature, Community

Program Doubled Residential Solar Use; Discounts Through March 31

Improving Weather Brings Heightened Traffic Enforcement

CT Poised To Adopt $10.10 Minimum Wage Wednesday

State Safety Commissioner Restores 24/7 Trooper Coverage At State Police Barracks Across The State

Llodra Joins Regional Officials Opposing Tree Trimming Moratorium

Council Moves To Publish Entire Town Payroll

Church Hill Road Redevelopment Project Gains Approval

A Day To Celebrate The Library