The Board of Selectmen initiated the process of forming a new Community Center Oversight Committee with plans to formalize the panel into a permanent commission that would be codified by ordinance and eventually in the Town Charter if deemed appropriate.Memorial Commission UpdateNUSAR Property EasementNew CC Commission

During their first regular meeting of the new year, January 2, selectmen also unanimously approved formally naming the gallery space in the Municipal Center's main hallway; a requested property easement for the local volunteer underwater search and rescue organization; and heard a brief update on progress toward developing a permanent memorial honoring those lost on 12/14.

The relatively brief meeting opened with Cultural Arts Commissioners Laura Lerman and Rob Kaiser reviewing and receiving permission to formally name the Municipal Center gallery space "The Municipal Gallery at Fairfield Hills." The pair previously appeared before the former board of selectmen reviewing a long process of vetting both gallery name ideas, and the graphic representation of signage planned for the building and adjacent campus.

Ms Lerman noted that the gallery was available for local artists, photographers, and designers to showcase their creative talents without being assessed a commission, adding that five of the last six exhibitors also sold one or more pieces as a result of their display.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal also took the opportunity to thank the commission for its assistance in mounting the recent wall of remembrance leading up to the fifth year marking the Sandy Hook tragedy, which featured matted and framed black and white images of the 20 children and six educators who lost their lives that day.

On a related subject, Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission (SHPMC) Chairman Kyle Lyddy appeared to review his panel's latest efforts.

He reported to the selectmen that the commission had received 188 separate design ideas for the memorial ranging from conceptual sketches to complete professional presentations. Mr Lyddy said that he and fellow commission members were planning to begin evaluating those submissions during a two-day session January 10 and 11.

Besides SHPMC members, Mr Lyddy said a number of other guests would be involved in parts of, or in the entire, evaluation process including former 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels and the memorial's Chief Strategy Officer Allison Blais; landscape architects Tom Tavella and Shavaun Towers; Rob Sibley, deputy director of planning for the Land Use Agency; Bob Mitchell, chairman of Newtown Public Building & Site; and former First Selectman Pat Llodra. They will be joined by Yale Architecture School Dean Deborah Berke.

Mr Lyddy said that panel would be responsible for culling the initial 188 memorial design submissions down to 12 to 15. At that stage, he told selectmen to expect public presentations revealing the finalists. The SHPMC is also creating opportunities for all immediate victims' families to weigh in.

The eventual three to five finalists will then be called to make detailed in-person presentations of their ideas to the panel before a final selection is made. Mr Lyddy also told selectmen that $150,000 in contributions have been earmarked along with a $250,000 allocation in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and that many in-kind offers will be vetted for their contribution value.

Selectmen on January 2 also briefly reviewed and approved a requested easement revision for the Newtown Underwater Search And Rescue organization or NUSAR. The group requested and received a revision in the width of an easement on property they own and plan to redevelop adjacent to the site of the planned Sandy Hook memorial off Riverside Road.

According to a memo presented to selectmen, the easement would affect an emergency egress or exit from the memorial property along NUSAR's western property boundary. The volunteers are hoping to make that egress a uniform width of 25 feet from its inception point out to Riverside Road.

The current easement is 20 feet wide for its first 175 feet and expands to 50 feet wide for the remaining 190 feet, which officials say would present challenges as NUSAR begins the process of designing a new station headquarters on the site.

Selectmen also heard from Community Center Advisory Committee Co-Chairmen Brian Hartgraves and Bill Buchler, who introduced a draft of language they hoped to see codified by ordinance or Charter as the panel transitions from an advisory to permanent oversight body.

First Selectman Rosenthal said that selectmen hoped to have the newly formed group in place before a hiring process begins for the new center's director. 

"I thought it might be a good point to bring in other community members, and provide a chance for some [current members] who may want to go," the first selectman said.

After an initial motion from Selectman Maureen Crick Owen was made to approve draft language that would go to the Legislative Council and its ordinance committee, Selectman Jeff Capeci clarified some details regarding the language as it relates to the current version of the Charter, and the motion was slightly modified and approved.

The commission members proposed creating a seven-member panel that would serve at the discretion of the Board of Selectmen. The commission, according to the draft, would have oversight for the "care, management, and operations of the center," and would include developing the center's mission, policies, a business plan, staff development, and ensuring its fiscal health.

The pair told selectmen their panel was currently in the process of planning several community forums, creating guidelines for the new commission, providing ongoing design feedback, and establishing a "go-forward strategy" to address possible gaps in fundraising for programs and equipment outside of the center's current budget.