A Choice Of Issues And Candidates

To the Editor:

In the course of our daily routines, we encounter a multitude of situations where we receive information and have many different decision opportunities to confront. Some of the input may be good and some may be bad, but ultimately, if it is my option, it is up to me to make my best decision.

As a person who accepts openly the advice of others, I find that having a lot of input (data) gives me a better chance of making a good decision. The key to this is listening and getting advice from qualified people.

When a person in the public eye, such as the first selectman, closes the door to public comment, constructive criticism or any input, they are shutting out the most important resource we have in town, the intellect and wisdom of the people who care the most about Newtown. It’s residents.

After the disappointment of the town meeting on the 5/6 school and Fairfield Hills (FFH) issues, I wrote a letter to Mr Rosenthal on behalf of our Newtown Owners Association professional members who wanted to visit FFH and be prepared to contribute toward the FFH master plan. They had some vacation time coming up and were willing to share some of it by helping Newtown.

Unfortunately, the response I received was anything but the open door to view the property that we were promised at the town meeting. What we got was a continuation of the same old rejection, misdirection, and misinformation that seems to be the standard policy of the first selectman’s office when dealing with a genuine offer of assistance from our residents. Rosenthal had nothing to lose by accepting our offer yet he still slammed the door. Why?

It is for this and similar reasons that I personally have decided to get involved with a growing number or residents who want other choices in this November’s town elections. A new political party in Newtown.

I don’t think this coming together would have happened if the town meeting had been conducted fairly and openly.

In his editorial of June 2, 2001, the editor of The Bee in speaking about the usefulness of the coming town meeting, eloquently stated, “It [town meeting] will allow all interested members of our community family to gather around the table and ask questions, express concerns and be a part of the most important decisions the town has ever made in one night.”

I wish to thank Mr Rosenthal for being the catalyst that has so engaged many Newtown residents that this November election season will be highly interesting and lively. The 3,000 plus registered voters who were the target of last year’s harmful upzoning regulation are certainly looking forward to this opportunity to hold our leadership accountable for their actions.

Apparently this will be the only avenue by which Newtown residents will be able to address a choice of issues and hear the candidates finally face some tough question. Isn’t it about time?

Barry J. Piesner, Director

Newtown Property Owners Association

38 Underhill Road, Sandy Hook                                   July 22, 2001