Weather Anomaly?

To the Editor:

I attempted to contact the tax collector office Tuesday afternoon, February 1, 2011. Phone recording stated the office was closed as of 14:00 due to the weather. However, the weather was in the lull between storms at the time. My drive from Newtown to Danbury at 9:00 was slow going but the weather cleared by 12:00. Did Newtown suddenly experience an isolated weather inversion that required public offices to close at 14:00 Tuesday afternoon (02/01/11)?

Were employees required to take personal or vacation time to cover the 2.5-hour period they did not work Tuesday afternoon (02/01/11)? Or do the taxpayers of Newtown have to assume the cost for their nonworked hours?

Brenda Turkel

71 Cedar Hill Road, Newtown                                  February 2, 2011