Time For Action

On Long-Term Planning

To the Editor:

Newtown is at a critical juncture in its history. Our town is becoming less affordable as we try to address the needs of a crumbling infrastructure. We face significant issues such as stabilizing taxes, economic development, housing affordability, traffic management, waste management, Fairfield Hills, school and municipal facilities, parks, recreation, and conservation.

I believe the time has come for us to implement a strategic long-range planning process for Newtown. I pledge to create such a process and plan if elected. As part of this planning process, I pledge to undertake a full review of the current Fairfield Hills Master Plan.

It’s time someone demonstrated leadership on the issue of planning for our longer-term future. I will provide that leadership as first selectman.

We have been playing around the fringes of this issue for too long. Pat Llodra, my Republican opponent, and John Kortze, commissioned a study on housing and population growth by a firm called Planemetrics. Good study, but then nothing. No action.

Then First Selectman Rosenthal commissioned a group to investigate whether the town needed a long-range plan. They reported the town would benefit from such a plan. Then nothing.

Po Murray and Gary Davis have advocated pursuing a strategic long-range plan, and twice got the council to support such an endeavor unanimously. Then nothing.

We have called numerous times for review of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan and ordinance. No support, no action.

It’s time we demonstrated leadership on the issue of planning for our long-term future. I will provide that leadership as first selectman, along with my running mate Bill Furrier.

 Here are the first steps we will take:

1. Convene a planning group comprised of public officials and citizens to organize a process for developing a strategic long-range planning process for Newtown that will result in a usable plan and ongoing process. We will keep in mind the model that has been used by the Board of Education in developing a long-range plan for the school district.

2. As part of this process, evaluate next steps for Fairfield Hills.

3. Consider the town’s current Plan of Development and Conservation, and how that document can be integrated into a strategic long-range planning process.

4. Reinvolve the community in setting priorities and timelines based on this strategic long-range planning initiative.

5. Establish a consensus for moving forward.

6. Review the Fairfield Hills ordinance to evaluate the benefit of making it more consistent and compatible with the Newtown Charter.

Now is the time to catch our breath and reevaluate our future as a community. In particular, there should be minimal new capital requests approved for Fairfield Hills, if any, until a reevaluation of the master plan is completed.

We have the opportunity to learn from the past and move forward with a meaningful plan for our community and for Fairfield Hills. An IPN-led Board of Selectman and Legislative Council will ensure that a strategic long-range plan will be put in place. It’s time for action.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                   September 2, 2009