First Selectman Frank DeLucia sees the near doubling of the vote on charter questions in the November 5 election as a mandate for a stronger, more responsive town government than the town meeting form has proved to be here in recent years. In November, 1969, voters rejected a “package” of charter changes providing for a council-first selectman form 1,057-737. That time one-third of those voting considered charter questions. In May, 1973, charter proposals were dealt with by 2,438, a little more than half of the 4,481 voting. None of the proposals provided for any basic change in the form or conduct of town government, with a general statement against conflict of interest on the part of town officials and employees carrying by fewer than 300 votes and a similar margin favoring annual preparation of a five-year capital improvement plan. This year virtually all of the substantial changes proposed by the Charter Revision Commission, instituting representative government in Newtown and providing for the creation of the post of town financial director, were supported by the Board of Selectmen and considered by 4,602 of the 6,081 voters casting ballots.

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Dodgingtown Firehouse was the scene of much activity this past weekend, what with a Cub Scout paper drive being conducted in one portion of the back parking lot, and a group of the volunteer firemen of the company volunteering again, this time donating their carpentry skills. For the past three weekends the firemen have been busy constructing a new 30 x 16 foot second story extension on the firehouse, which will serve as kitchen and storage space. It will enable them to tear out some of the partitions now in the firehouse and enlarge their meeting hall – which serves as the meeting place for many community activities in the Dodgingtown area.

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The proponent of Eagle Hill, the treatment center for alcoholics which was turned down last month by a 4-1 vote of the Planning & Zoning Commission, informed The Bee this week of what steps he will take in light of the rejection of his special exception proposal. P&Z’s notice of the disapproval was printed in the November 1 issue of The Bee and William H. Johnson, of Albert’s Hill Road, Sandy Hook, had 15 days from the date to make a decision on an appeal.

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At the regular meeting of the Board of Education Tuesday night, Board member Lester Burroughs announced that an impasse has been reached on the teacher contract negotiations, and that the Board of Education has gone ahead and filed for mediation. Mediators are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, November 22. The Newtown teachers, since the beginning of the 1974-75 school year, have actually been working without a contract since their old two-year one expired on August 31, 1974. A new contract agreed upon would be retroactive as of that date, and right now the teachers are working under the terms of the old contract.

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Thanks to the efforts of some very willing volunteers, the Town of Newtown this past weekend was saved hundreds of dollars in man hours. The work which was entailed was the spreading of top soil all around the perimeter of the new tennis courts at the town park and helping Newtown’s social worker Mary Brey put up storm windows at some of the homes in town. The volunteers were from Edon House, the drug rehabilitation center at Fairfield Hills Hospital, and the idea to help out the town was their own, not because of a request from the town.

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The Sixty Plus Club of Newtown met on Wednesday, November 6, in the Undercroft of Trinity Church. Mrs Marvi Fast, recreational director of the Senior Center at Edmond Town Hall, spoke of the many benefits including health services now available there. Guest speaker Gordon Williams of Big Brothers told about boys in need of fatherly guidance and how the Big Brother organization is helping. He spoke with great enthusiasm for this program which started only four years ago in Newtown, and is proving very successful; his talk was inspiring and informative.

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In response to a plea by the Jaycee Wives for donations to the Thanksgiving Basket Drive, several residents of Buckingham Gardens Convalescent Home are preparing handcrafted items to be included with the turkey and trimmings. This is being done on an individual basis by residents to help brighten the holiday for 15 needy families. Mrs Thomas Evagash and Mrs Alton Cashman, co-chairladies of the drive, wish to thank those community organizations which have already donated and encourage other groups to have their donations of food, canned goods, turkeys, paper goods and cash to Mrs Cashman’s home by November 24.

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NOVEMBER 18, 1949

Favored by sunny skies and a moderate temperature, large numbers turned out on Armistice Day to witness the parade up and down Main Street and down Church Hill Road, and the memorial service at the Soldiers and Sailors monument at the head of Main Street. First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson was grand marshal of the parade and was escorted by Commander George L. May of the American Legion Raymond L. Pease Post, sponsoring organization.

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Members of the Newtown Congregational Church and parish will gather at their Church House this Friday evening to dedicate the new building. A fellowship supper is being prepared by Mrs William Hunter and a committee of ladies of the parish and it will be served in the social rooms of the building from 6 until 7:30.

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With an investiture service for 14 new girls, the Newtown Girl Scouts of Troop 37 increased their membership to 33, the largest number in five years. Held in the Girl Scout cabin on Monday, the ceremony was the charge of Mrs Morton Baker, leader of the troop. The investiture service was opened by E. Joan McLennan, who gave a reading on Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts. Following this, the girls with their big sisters came forward from the horseshoe formation five at a time and received their pins. The new Scouts are Judy Carroll, Ruth Ann Close, Jody Klavun, Maureen McCarty, Carol Macomber, Judy Meyers, Janet Morrison, Janet Keating, Dotty Strasburger, Stephanie Rommel, Donna Smith, Caryl Stratton, Linda Walsh and Ethel Dayton.

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Though there are still a few canvassers to be heard from, the PTA membership drive has come to a close. A total of $118.50 has been taken in, which means that there are 237 members in the organization. Mrs Vincent Gaffney, chairman of the membership committee, asks that anyone who wishes to join and has not yet done so get in touch with her, and that the canvassers who have not finished make a special effort to complete the job before December 6, the date of the next PTA meeting.

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Another of Newtown’s better gardeners, this one of the flower variety, reports spring blooms at this season of the year. Mrs Harry Hart of Stevenson district has spring phlox in blossom in her garden at The Ledges, and has been enjoying them perhaps more than in their proper season.

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Troop 70 held one of its best meetings of the year Tuesday evening at the cabin, when nine boys were made Tenderfoot Scouts. The candlelighting service was led by Senior Patrol Leader Robert Richmond, assisted by Paul Cullens, scoutmaster, and Sidney Dobbs, assistant scoutmaster. The troop was commended by Scoutmaster Cullens for its fine appearance at the annual inspection and also in Newtown’s Armistice Day parade.

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NOVEMBER 14, 1924

A commendable piece of road work has just been completed on the Hanover Springs, Bridgewater Road, under the direction of Michael Cavanaugh of Hanover, and assistants. Rocks have been taken from the roadway, ditches have been opened, iron culverts have been placed and the road now is in first-class condition.