Disconnected Town Leaders

To the Editor,

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Declaration of Independence, 1776.

Two recent events caused me to muse on the meaning of these words. The first was our celebration of the country’s birthday. The other is the pattern of behavior emerging from our town’s elected officials. The former is a cause for celebration, the latter a cause for alarm. The recent Editorial Ink Drops, “The Council’s Resistance to Change” confirms a growing disconnect between the needs of town people and the wants of our rulers (oops, I mean, our public servants).

This disconnect first came to light for me at the recent town meeting to decide the fate of the proposed 5/6 school and the purchase and development of Fairfield Hills. While generally supportive of both projects, I came away from the meeting troubled by town officials’ attitudes. When pressed with very reasonable questions about Fairfield Hills, they told us we don’t need to know the details, the town council knows what is best for the town. When that answer didn’t wash, we were told not to worry about the open ended nature of the approval, every step of the Fairfield Hills project will be brought before a town meeting.

Now we see the same paternalistic attitude emerging in the Charter Revision debate. I for one am not comforted by the “40 years” of experience by the chairman and vice chairman of the Legislative Council. As elected officials they should be representing the interests of members of the community, not their own private interests in maintaining power and authority in an increasingly unchecked manner. Maybe its time Newtown declare its own independence from tyranny of its rulers (oops, I mean its public servants) and sweep them out of power at the next election.

Sincerely,

Jay Higham

21 Rose Lane, Sandy Hook                                         July 7, 2001