The Newtown Board of Realtors conducted a meeting at the Municipal Center on Thursday, February 16, to educate their members about the economy, safety, and education in the community.

Guest speakers included First Selectman Pat Llodra, Newtown Chief of Police James Viadero, and Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr.

Mrs Llodra spoke to the group first about the impact commercial and residential property has on the town's economy from a real estate perspective.

She started off her discussion saying that close to 80 percent of the town's tax collection, or grand list, comes from residential real estate, while only eight percent is commercial/industrial real estate (the balance is from vacant land, personal property, and motor vehicles).

By increasing the commercial/industrial real estate, Mrs Llodra explained, that would help reduce property taxes.

She gave the realtors in the room a list of specific projects that are being created in town that are intended to produce economic growth. Some significant developments included The Villages at Lexington Gardens, which is located in the center of town; the 19,000 square feet Tractor Supply construction; and the Riverwalk at Sandy Hook Village, which will start construction on 65 townhouses in the spring.

"There is an absolute relationship with bringing new people to our community and improving our local economy, because residents spend money locally," said Mrs Llodra. "Let's create an environment where people of all levels of personal economy can thrive in our town."

In addition to specific properties being developed in Newtown, Mrs Llodra also informed the realtors that the town is focusing on creating more sidewalks and lighting. It has grant funding for the Fairfield Hills Campus, Main to South Main Street, and the Hawleyville area.

"We have to make walkable, bikeable, and livable communities to hold on to the people we have and attract new people," said Mrs Llodra.

She honed in on a specific concern that many realtors may face with clients, and that is that the tax rate is so high. Mrs Llodra said that realtors should emphasize the positive side to those taxes. The taxes in Newtown go toward great schools, public safety, open spaces, making an age-friendly community, civic and social engagements, as well as parks and other recreation.

Another feature the town offers that realtors should mention as an asset when working with clients is Newtown's focus on sustainability, like recycling and land preservation. Newtown is one of the leading municipalities of its size to utilize solar power and is the first municipality in the state to have an organics program.

Mrs Llodra added that sustainability is not only environmentally responsible, but that there are economic advantages.

A Safety Perspective

Newtown Chief of Police James Viadero spoke to the Newtown Board of Realtors' members about how they can address the topic of safety with their clients.

Mr Viadero started off by saying, "I'm very happy to be here and am honored to work with the Newtown Police Department. As a community we are very fortunate; we have 45 officers and are very active in the community."

Along with assuring the realtors that there is nothing the town police cannot handle, he explained that Newtown was just voted one of the top ten safest towns in the State of Connecticut for the second year in a row.

"Our officers work very diligently and are out there and responsive and able to make arrests," said Mr Viadero.

Still, he says they always want to reach out to the community to do more. That is why the Newtown Police Department continues to do programs and outreach work like the Citizen Police Academy, the Explorers Program, and school security work.

"As far as the state of Connecticut," Mr Viadero said, "we are far ahead from what other towns do."

He wanted to make sure that the community knows they are available to those who need assistance, to reassure they are in a safe environment - for realtors, for businesses, for schools.

"If anyone has questions or concerns or needs from us as an agency, we will be happy to come out there and talk to you," Mr Viadero said.

In real estate, many times an individual will get a cold call from a potential client asking to meet at a vacant home or property to view. He suggests realtors should always take the time verify the person's information so they know it is a legitimate call.

Mr Viadero said, "If there is a concern and you are going to an area that is out of the normal path of everyday travel, have that person meet you someplace first at a travel area."

He suggested meeting somewhere like the Newtown Police Department or the Municipal Center parking lot. That safety precaution can make a real difference putting a realtor at ease and making sure they are staying safe in their field of work.

The School Systems

Dr Erardi addressed the realtors about questions and possible scenarios they may face with buyers coming in from out of town.

"I want to simulate what I believe is the conversation you may have with clients coming in to Newtown," said Dr Erardi.

One of the first questions a buyer who has grade school children will most likely have is: How are the schools?

Based on the data collected through local district rankings, Dr Erardi said that Newtown public schools are at the top ten percent of performing schools and continue to move at a rate in the right direction.

Dr Erardi added, "Newtown's average per pupil expenditure is less than the average per pupil expenditure in the State of Connecticut."

Clients will be able to conclude that they are spending less than the average, yet receiving a school district in the top ten percent.

The next possible question realtors may be asked that Dr Erardi discussed was: Are Newtown schools safe?

He prefaced his answer saying that Newtown had open house at Sandy Hook Elementary School all summer long before it officially opened and had about 2,500 people come through to view the building. That initiative shows that the Sandy Hook Elementary School has been well received in the community.

He added the data-driven fact that before the elementary school officially opened, the July 1 projected enrollment wound up being surpassed by 32 new children joining the school.

"To me that tells me that the community is comfortable and the that the schools are growing," said Dr Erardi.

He mentioned that even Middle Gate, Head O' Meadow, and Hawley Elementary School parents went out of their way to find out if they could move their child to Sandy Hook Elementary School if they could personally take care of transportation.

With that in mind, Dr Erardi added that the safety plan in Newtown is never done and that no superintendent of any school district should claim they are 100 percent certain their plan is complete.

Dr Erardi emphasized, "What I can say to you is that from an infrastructure, from a plan, from a simulation, I don't think there is a more prepared school district in this country than Newtown schools."

One of the last questions that Dr Erardi brought up as a possible scenario that realtors may face is being asked: Have the schools recovered?

His answer was no.

"We continue to rebuild and we continue to recover, " Dr Erardi said. "It is going to take some time."

Still, what they can tell their clients looking to move to Newtown is that despite it being a process, the public schools are a model for the nation and the world.

Dr Erardi explained, "We are clearly a model for recovery and rebuild. We have resources in place for all students and all staff, at all times, in our schools."