To the Editor:

I recently submitted my application for a seat on the Fairfield Hills Authority (FHA) well in advance of the established deadline. The DTC nominated me for the position and, per standard practice, forwarded the necessary paperwork for consideration in advance of the next-scheduled Board of Selectman meeting. Yet, town leadership dismissed the time stamp on my application, asserting the deadline applied to both candidates and party nominations, a curiously stretched definition of guidelines given that the change would not afford either party adequate time to interview candidates who applied later in, or even at the last minute, of the application cycle.  Swiftly, the Board of Selectman majority appointed a Republican to a Democrat-vacated seat, creating further FHA imbalance at 5-Republicans, 2-Unaffiliated, and 1-Democrat. 

No one ever said that politics is fair, but the town leadership that made us so proud after 12/14 has repeatedly demonstrated that too much power can result in excessive influence. As a reminder: a re-interpretation of the “bare majority” from 4-3 to 5-2 on the Board of Education exemplified disregard for a two-party system, a private task force proposed a plan and spent tax dollars for a community center without community input, a push to close a school developed before completion of enrollment or facility studies, and a “sales job” for mixed-use development at Fairfield Hills occurred without analysis of the pros and cons.

However, I am most troubled by the lack of financial analysis to guide town decision-making.  To consider a school closing, shouldn’t we determine the cost of closing it as well as the probability and cost of reopening it?  Closed buildings require an upgrade to meet current building codes before reopening, surely an expensive proposition for Hawley School if the student enrollment rises again as predicted. What if the public had been asked to trade-off reduced financial support for school infrastructure vs. increased per-student curriculum dollars in the education budget, surely a welcome proposition for education supporters?  If tax relief was the priority, shouldn’t we at least quantify the magnitude of savings per taxpayer?

Similarly, the town’s case for mixed-use development at FFH was grossly inadequate.  Why do we think the project’s tax revenue would ever outweigh the town services and educational costs to support it?  If it did, when is the break-even point?  Why didn’t the town present the criteria by which some mixed-use projects succeed and others fail?  What is the risk and cost of failure?  Did any town official evaluate the economic benefit of maintaining FFH as a cultural/athletic campus to uplift the attractiveness (and value) of the overall community? 

If you missed me in the parade, let me announce that I am now running for a Democratic seat on the Board of Finance. I may not have all the answers, but I promise to ask questions that can guide the community to fiscally responsible decision-making.  Let’s send a message that Newtown’s most precious asset is its human capital, and that we all deserve a voice.  Vote Democratic in November.

Kelley Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook           September 23, 2015