Date: Fri 01-Jan-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

resolution-Fairfield-Hills

Full Text:

Town Set To Face Challenges Of '99

BY STEVE BIGHAM

In Newtown, they are calling 1999 the year of resolution. Town officials are

predicting it will be the year they finally begin to answer many of the

questions currently facing the town.

Resolving the re-use of Fairfield Hills is high on the town's agenda for 1999,

as is concluding the municipal space needs study. A proposed grade 5/6 school

to address Newtown's growing school enrollment also sits on Newtown's list of

things to do (and pay for).

Newtown's growing pains already have been expensive. They are not expected to

let up in the coming year.

"I think 1999 is going to be a decisive year," noted Legislative Council

Chairman Pierre Rochman. "It will decide the kind of town we're going to have

five years down the road from a financial point of view. From a physical point

of view, will we remain a small country town or grow up and lose some of the

charm? Some of the decisions we make in the first quarter will really have an

impact on that."

Melissa Pilchard called '98 an information-gathering year. She believes '99 is

going to be a "having-to-deal-with-everything" kind of a year.

"This past year, we did the financial and investigative work. Now we have to

put our needs on one side and what we can afford on the other and decide what

we can do," she explained. "Of course, this is with the full knowledge that we

can't do everything."

As council member Karen Blawie points out, a lot of things (new costs) came to

the forefront in 98 -- some of which the town was aware of. Some were

surprises.

"In 1999, Fairfield Hills will be resolved, the 5/6 school will be resolved,

and I believe the town's office space needs will be resolved," she said.

Mrs Blawie said she has faith that the finance committee and the Legislative

Council will be able to make the tough decisions in the most financially

"prudent" way possible.

"They are going to make the most amount of people happy with the least amount

of pain," she said. "It's an exciting time to be a council member. Things we

are working on now will bear fruit on this town for years to come. It's so

satisfying to be a part of it."

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed predicts 1999, like most years of late,

will be full of challenges. The school system continues to grow, including a

six percent increase in enrollment this past year. The Board of Education's

proposal for the 5/6 school must be addressed this coming year, he said. The

town is growing, he added, and the need for expanded services must be met head

on.

John Kortze, chairman of the council's finance committee, believes 1999 will

be the year Newtown begins to set things in motion.

"I think this is a time when the town is looking at a tremendous amount of

opportunity and critical long-term investments. But I also think it's a time

where we need to exercise caution and prudence in all of those endeavors. If

we can do this right, I think everybody wins," he said.

Mr Kortze said the town must balance its needs everywhere and work together to

come up with the best solution for all.

Selectman Joe Bojnowski sees two big challenges facing the Board of Selectmen

in the coming year. Fairfield Hills tops the list.

"We have to continue to work with the State of Connecticut to find a use that

the town and state will be pleased with," he said. "Second, we need to resolve

our space needs in a cost effective way, but in a way that people will feel

good about."

Mr Bojnowski said he believes the town will see an improvement in public works

and its efforts to improve Newtown's road system. He also predicts the town's

land use commissions/departments will continue to work for the best possible

development for the town.

Others predictions:

Fire Marshal George Lockwood continues to hope that either the state or the

town will mandate that underground oil tanks (20 years old or more) be removed

for the ground. 1999 would be a good time to do it. Too many of them are

leakers. They continue to contaminate the soil and underground water supplies.

It has to be done before it's too late, he said.

Public Works Director Fred Hurley said his department will propose a number of

changes in its budget, including additional manpower to even off the length of

the snow plow runs. As far as road work goes, Mr Hurley said the highway

department will continue to work on what has already started.

"We'll try to stretch the paving dollar as far as we can," he said. "We're

trying to anticipate the worst problems up front."

Finance Director Ben Spragg made a suggestion to town officials as 1999

approached.

"My suggestion is we do a thorough analysis of the financial implications with

a goal of meeting the needs for a 5/6 school, municipal space, and other

projects," he said. "But we need to do it an in organized manner so that we

don't change our stable financial position."

The town currently has an 8 percent debt rate which some have predicted could

rise to 12 percent in the coming year. Mr Spragg said proper management of the

debt service could keep that figure down. Despite all the costs "coming down

the pike," the finance director is not reaching for the panic button. This is

a good market to go out and borrow money, he said.