Callers Will Seek Participants For Fairfield Hills Focus Group

By Kendra Bobowick

“It’s time for the public participation to kick in,” said Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee member Paul Lundquist. His group this week prepared to contact residents by phone this weekend based on voter registration lists.

Summarizing what is about to take place, member Deborra Zukowski said, “Be prepared; you’re going to get phone calls.” As soon as Saturday, “We’ll begin reaching out at random,” said Mr Lundquist, also the public participation subcommittee chair. “We’ll be calling and inviting individuals to join.” Callers will mention they are contacting residents on behalf of his committee regarding the Fairfield Hills campus.

They hope to find at least 12 people to form a microcosm council — essentially a focus group of residents to discuss Fairfield Hills planning. “Part of our charge is to make sure the public is engaged,” said Mr Lundquist.

The committee is planning a day-and-a-half meeting for the selected council members with an all-day working session on Saturday, March 5, and half a day on Sunday, March 6. A location will be announced. “This is a unique opportunity for people to be involved in Fairfield Hills,” he said.

The small group will work with professional moderator Rosa Zubisarreta of Diapraxis, a firm hired for $7,500 per the Board of Selectmen’s recent approval. Based on the group’s website, Diapraxis.com, its efforts are for “organizational and community leaders: listening deeply to your own hopes and visions, for your community and your organization.

“And, listening carefully to all of the divergent perspectives in the larger whole …”

Her consultation firm handles a variety of actions, including the community planning process.

Review committee member Ben Roberts said, “It’s an open process to find out what matters most to the people that gather and have them work through whatever comes up.” The weekend work will be a structured process that he hopes will produce “a diversity of views.” On hand that day will be background information on Fairfield Hills and the master plan for reuse. Participant will also hear a “basic briefing” on the town-owned 180-plus acres of former state hospital property. He looks forward to hearing what people will bring to the conversation, he said.

Considering Fairfield Hills, Mr Roberts added, “It’s an asset and should bring us together, rather than push us apart.”

Mr Lundquist noted, “It’s a great process. There are polarized positions and with this process we can work through opinions to a consensus.”

The Group

Mr Lundquist hopes to find a group reflecting a mix of age groups and political views, and opinions. He hopes for “a balanced, small group.” He also hoped the members can work together in a “fair, respectable, creative, and productive environment.”

Mr Roberts imagines that individuals will soon see different perspectives and see diverse possibilities. Considering Fairfield Hills, he said, “We’re all in this together. We’ll talk about what matters and what happens at Fairfield Hills.”

He asked, “Given diverse ideas, what can we come up with that will be a win, win, win, win?” The group may naturally “converge around one piece of the [Fairfield hills] puzzle.” That piece is often a point of tension or disagreement. He would like to come out of the process with something that will “inform us on how to work together for something we love.” He wants an “inspired process” and a “creative spirit of collaboration,” he said. The process should “explore possibilities, get people excited.”

The upcoming forum will inform a larger, communitywide conversation on the evenings of Tuesday, March 15, and Wednesday, March 23, specific times and locations are not yet determined. The month’s community participation will “inspire dialogue,” said Mr Roberts. “This can be a great opportunity to help us deal with what we have to deal with. It’s not going to go away. We have to turn this into something for all of us.”

Regarding the microcosm group session planned for March 5 and 6, Mr Lundquist said, “From this, we’ll cycle forward to the larger discussion.” At each step, Mr Lundquist’s group is seeking informed opinions from the public. From the microcosm council and the larger community discussion, information will contribute to a townwide survey he hopes will circulate as soon as April.

Background

Since 2001 the town has spent an appropriated $21 million on various associated projects, including soil remediation, demolition of several buildings, a new baseball diamond, renovations and an upgrade to the former Bridgeport Hall to accommodate a new Newtown Municipal Center where town departments are now located, and extensive infrastructure work to bring utilities to the campus via an underground network.

Much abatement took place due to hazardous materials found in the roughly 80-year-old buildings, along with associated soil remediation.

As far back as 2001, preliminary planning began. Officials consulted town department heads to best assess the town’s needs and potential campus use. Ad hoc committees evolved into the Fairfield Hills Authority, an advisory committee handling campus planning and reporting to the Board of Selectmen. A master plan for reuse emerged — a Planning and Zoning document, that stipulated approved uses for the campus including land banking for future needs, passive recreation, municipal and sports needs. Contentions, eventually entering political arguments, arose over prospects for economic development and leasing potential for the buildings marked for reuse.

Late last year, per the l 2005 master plan’s original language (see www.newtown-ct.gov for the full document), the document was up for review. Since then, the appointed review committee has researched aspects of the plan, among other parts of its charge, including public participation.