The First Selectman has tentatively scheduled a forum at the Community Center on Feb. 23 to answer questions about 8-30g and dense development. The time and speaker have not yet been set.

The board authorized the First Selectman to sign an agreement with the railroad companies for a public pedestrian grade crossing of the railroad near the old Batchelder site. This is in preparation for creating a parking lot for a rails-to-trails entry point.

The board received a letter from a resident’s legal counsel challenging whether the discontinuance of Reservoir Road required a town meeting and whether aggrieved parties would have the ability to appeal the discontinuance. The letter has been addressed. Subsequently, a second letter has been received.

The Board of Selectmen had just over two weeks to review the budget. After hearing from the library, Newtown Youth and Family Services, the Senior Center, Edmond Town Hall, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, the finance director, the Fire Departments, the Police Department, and Ambulance Corp, a BOS budget was adopted. The large increase in employee medical benefits is a major driving factor.

Notable changes in the First Selectman’s budget included three new positions – a police officer, a paramedic (partially funded by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association this year), and a facilities manager (partially in the 2025 budget). Purchased equipment was replaced with leases, and curbside recycling was eliminated. Revenues will be addressed by the Board of Finance and the Legislative Council.

The BOS endorsed the three new positions. The BOS increased library, NYFS, and ETH budgets to partially address concerns that department/organization budgets that were believed to be “flat” were, in effect, reduced. Curbside recycling was returned to the budget for a couple of reasons: 1) there had been very little research and no proposal for an alternative plan; 2) the Ad Hoc recycling committee had voted “no” to discontinuing town sponsored curbside recycling; 3) the Charter prevents the LC from increasing any items above the BOS recommended budget, thus, to give the Ad Hoc Committee time to research and the LC time to address the ordinance, the recycling was included in the budget.

Board of Education – in the midst of presenting their budget at the time of this submittal.

Per Alison Plante – We adopted the budget last week and now we’re carrying it forward to the Board of Finance. We need as many people as possible to join the BOF meetings and email them to express support for the budget as is, with no cuts. 

This will be further covered during our discussion of the First Selectman’s Budget.

Board of Finance – will be covered during discussion of the First Selectman’s Budget.

Legislative Council – will be covered during discussion of the First Selectman’s Budget.

Planning and Zoning: (meetings January 16 and 23, February 6) – By Peter Schwarz

Public Hearing regarding 8-30(g) application by Vessel Technologies was continued with additional material presented by the Applicant and the Intervenor. The public hearing was carried over to February 6, but that meeting was cancelled for weather. The hearing will continue February 20. The hearing will probably close at that time and a vote may be taken.

Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) was adopted by the Commission 5-0 at a Special Meeting held on January 23, and has been filed with the state. The final as-approved version will be available shortly on the town website under the POCD tab, but the December 2024 version currently available on the website is identical in almost all material aspects.

Fairfield Hills Authority (FHA): (last meeting January 27, next meeting February 24) – By Peter Schwarz

There have been no meetings of the FHA since the last DTC meeting, however , a working group of representatives from FHA, Economic Development Commission (EDC) , and the First Selectman’s Office have been discussing drafts of a proposed Ground Lease for the two Fairfield Hills buildings designated for mixed use development by Winn Development (Shelton and Kent). That draft lease is now being reviewed by the Newtown Town Attorney for further negotiation and modification and will be presented to FHA and BOS for review when completed.

FHA is working with EDC and the Economic Development Director to develop content for a revitalized Fairfield Hills webpage and social media presence. We hope the new content and presence will serve to present a unified and consistent message to the public about developments at the campus in the absence of any obvious shovels in the ground. That content will hopefully be available in April or May.

C.H. Booth Library Trustees – by Betsy Litt

We’re grateful to the BoS for restoring enough of the library’s budget to help offset increased electricity costs, & so staff don’t end up with lower take home pay due to increased health insurance cost.

The new 3rd floor study rooms are hugely popular & in constant use.

We’re expecting HVAC bid  to come in ca 2/20.