Inconvenience One, Or Many?

To the Editor:

Having attended the last Board of Selectman meeting involving the high school expansion, I noticed that there appears to be a reverse evolution in Newtown politics. It appears that the higher up one goes within the political Newtown leadership, the more out-of-touch some members of the Board of Selectmen are with the issues. Particularly Mr Rosenthal, who felt compelled to interrupt the question and answer session to talk about how the date and time of this meeting was inconvenient to his schedule.

As the Board of Education was answering questions or presenting consultants to answer questions asked by the Board of Selectmen, Mr Rosenthal picked up the microphone and spent five minutes complaining about how the schedule of the meeting was inconvenient for him. Due to the date and time of the meeting, Mr Rosenthal had to cancel “an appointment.” Seemingly, he thinks canceling one appointment is more important than the critical and timely decision of the high school expansion.

He seems to have forgotten the fact that for the Board of Education to answer any outstanding issues they needed to make sure the consultants and architects were present for this meeting. This seems to have been lost on Mr Rosenthal.

Also in attendance was State Senator John McKinney. He was kind enough to find time in his busy schedule to explain how Newtown would, in all likelihood, obtain a waiver from the new laws pertaining to the new environmental codes involving the expansion. But he also stated that if there was a substantial change to the design of the project it would be more difficult if not impossible to get a waiver. He spent 15 to 20 minutes explaining all of the issues involving the project. These 15 to 20 minutes may have been lost had the meeting been rescheduled.

Unfortunately for Mr Rosenthal, all of these necessary guests were required to explain to the citizens in attendance and the Board of Selectmen why it was necessary to bring to a referendum the added $6 million. What was lost on Mr Rosenthal was that either you could inconvenience the many, which included our state senator or the one, Mr Rosenthal.

Over 5,000 Newtown citizens believed this issue was important enough to come out in record numbers to vote for or against this project. About 3,500 Newtown citizens believed this project was so important for the town as to vote Yes. For or against this issue we are in a time crunch involving the high school expansion. But for Mr Rosenthal this was all less important than “an appointment.” Astounding!

When a political representative believes his or her schedule is more important than the issues at hand, it may be time for that politician to find another job.

Charles Hepp

4 Winter Ridge Road, Sandy Hook                             October 1, 2008