Blindsided

To the Editor:

Our former first selectman, in February 2007, told 400 residents at a Legislative Council meeting that he could not legally stop the new town hall and would pursue a new town hall at Fairfield Hills, even if it cost him reelection.

The opposition to a new town hall at FFH continued to grow. It was one of the reasons we saw the budget defeated three times and saw the formation of a new political party. In response, the past administration sped up its efforts to start construction of a new town hall thus encumbering funds to attempt to force the current course.

Ultimately, this opposition to a new town hall saw our past first selectman voted out of office.

There has been an intense pressure from public officials loyal to the past administration to have the new administration stay the course at FFH. I was startled to see a room full of these public officials at the very first Board of Selectmen’s meeting Monday night. The meeting was not posted on the website and the town hall subject was not on the agenda.

When I realized that this meeting was orchestrated, I urged the Board of Selectmen to take into consideration voter’s strong desire for change by fully evaluating the current course on FFH and the town needs as a whole. The Board of Finance is currently considering $130 million dollars of capital projects for the next five years. I also made a request for a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the FFH projects to be completed prior to moving forward with the new town hall and the lease agreements.

I quickly realized the fate of the new town hall had already been sealed when our newly elected selectman Paul Mangiafico took out a yellow piece of paper with a motion written on it. In a calculated and underhanded move, Paul Mangiafico blindsided his running mate, Joe Borst, by siding with the defeated past administration to go forward with the town hall project without a comprehensive review. He stated, “There is no compelling reason to stop the town hall.” Apparently the 3,254 voters who voted for him were not a compelling reason enough to step back and reevaluate the situation on FFH.

Mr Mangiafico’s action was a blatant act of betrayal to Joe Borst and everyone that voted for him. I am extremely disappointed that as a newly elected Legislative Council member, I will not have the opportunity to fully review the new town hall project before the town commits to Phase II of the construction.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                     December 6, 2007