School Spending, Skate Park Get Support—

Public Comments On 2010-2011 Budget

By Eliza Hallabeck

Before the Board of Finance heard the Board of Education’s 2010-2011 school budget presentation on Thursday, February 25, a public hearing was conducted to allow public commentary on the town’s 2010-2011 budget.

The meeting was held in the Lecture Hall at Newtown High School. (See separate story.)

While most speakers voiced concerns regarding the 2010-2011 school budget, resident Erin Henneghan spoke first regarding the building a skate park in Newtown. Multiple skate boarders spoke after her regarding the same topic.

“We have a lot of skateboarders who don’t really have a safe place to go,” said Adam Robertson. He added feeling left out for skateboarders, because other sports have their areas to go.

Others spoke on the difficulty of driving to Brookfield, the closest skate park in the area.

“We just want to have fun,” said Michael Schlesinger. “It gets kind of annoying having to drive to Brookfield everyday.”

Later, resident Kinga Walsh said Newtown is no longer a place to move to for good education and more. The school district’s strategic plan for higher achievement among Newtown’s DRG towns will be unattainable without funding, she said.

Ms Walsh also suggested stopping short-sighted planning, and to have the town work as a team, as opposed to against itself.

“We need to better examine overlaps between the school systems and the town employees,” she said.

Julie Libby said the school board could have sent a more generous budget through to the Board of Finance.

“Please thank them for their diligent and thorough work, and send the Board of Education budget as it is,” said Ms Libby.

Budget season, Robin Fitzgerald said, is her least favorite time of the year to be a resident of Newtown, and it has gotten worse with each passing budget. She said no one really knows what the facts are, and fears and rumors spread.

“It’s the kids that make up our student population,” she said, “and they get lost.”

Ms Fitzgerald also implored the Board of Finance to send the school budget through to the Legislative council intact.