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April 6, 2005
The Newtown Legislative Council held a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 6, 2005 at the C. H. Booth Library, Main Street, Newtown, CT.   Chairman William Rodgers called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm.

PRESENT:  W. Rodgers, T. Holian, D. Amaral, J. DiCandido, J. Hemingway, F. Pennarola, R. Recht, J. Shpunt,  P. Baiad, J. Borst, D. Brown, M. Iassogna

ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal, Finance Director Ben Spragg, Schools Superintendent Dr. Evan Pitkoff, Asst. Superintendent Alice Jackson, Schools Business Director Ron Bienkowski, Board of Education members Elaine McClure, Lisa Schwartz, Pal Mangiafico, David Nanavaty, Andrew Buzzi, Tom Gissen, Board of Finance members John Kortze, Harry Waterbury, James Gaston (8:45), 20 members of public, one member of press

VOTER PARTICIPATION:  Ms. Michelle Hankin, 48 Mt. Pleasant Road – stated that parents here are also taxpayers who are frugal with their own dollars.  They don’t want reckless spending within the town.  She thought this budget was lean before it got to the Board of Education and was reduced.  She asked the Council to add back the $400,000 reduced by the Board of Finance.  That would be a small amount of money to the town.  Compared to other towns, we are very efficient.  We need to think of the “citizens who can’t be here to speak to you”, the children.  Class sizes are larger than other towns in our ERG.  Seven new teachers are being requested to address 92 new students for next year.  Those students will be dispersed around the district and will “max out” some grades.
        Mr. Keith Jacobs, 27 Ashford Lane – is trying to get a friend to move to Newtown from Norwalk because he is concerned about the education system there.  It is hard to convince this person to move here.  There are issues about how we compare to other towns like Monroe and Trumbull as far as education.  The gifted program is not what it was at one time.  He feels parents here are satisfied with education.  Credit goes to the administration and teachers.  They use the resources that they have but we need to move forward.  The increase is now lower than 6%.  Historically, budgets have passed with 6% increases.  He wants to hear from each Council member what their position on education and he encouraged parents to take notes.
        Ms. Fotinopoulos, 19 Abbotts Hill Road, feels Board of Finance is only looking at numbers and should go into the schools.
        Ms. Tina Fiorella, 47 West Street, paid taxes for years before she had kids in the schools.  Quality is expensive.  It is less expensive if things are maintained.  She is disappointed school programs have been cut.  She saw in the budget that there is less money for textbooks for more students.  She urged the Council to put money back in the education budget.  It will just cost more in the long run.
        Ms. Janice Piak, 15 Overlook Drive, moved here in August.  They looked first at the school districts.  Now, they are considering relocating again this summer because they are concerned about the overcrowding at the high school.  The $400,000 should be put back even though it is only a drop in the bucket and won’t really solve the problem.  The action would be a sign to her to “stick it out”.
        Ms. Connie Widmann, 74 Hattertown Road, is concerned about the school system and the lack of programs that are available here that are available in surrounding communities.  
        

Dr. Evan Pitkoff, distributed copies of the 03/04 Strategic School Profile showing the number of students per teacher in Newtown to be 15.9 vs. our ERG at 14.1 and the state at 13.8.   The budget presented includes staff for growth and continued growth.  The Board of Finance asked a lot of questions and a lot of information was provided to them.  The Board of Education was criticized for underbudgeting the fuel.  A $400,000 reduction on top of that seemed “out of sync”.  He urged the Council to offer the voters the opportunity to approve the budget that will best meet the needs of students.
        Mr. Andrew Buzzi, Board of Education, thanked the Council for their consideration of the budget.  The Board of Finance did a thorough review and seemed to agree that the schools budget was underfunded.  He does not agree with their actions.  The Board of Education has drafted appropriate, effective policies for substance abuse and discipline.  These policies require staffing.  The town must support these policies.

ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES:  Upon motion by Mr. Borst, the minutes of the 3/16/05 meeting were unanimously accepted as presented.
        Upon motion by Mr. Holian, the minutes of the 3/23/05 meeting were unanimously accepted as presented.  

COMMUNICATIONS:  Mr. Sphunt pointed out that the minutes of the Public Hearing held on 3/30/05 needs a correction – on page 3, the first person under Public Participation, the name given is a resident who had passed away a month prior to this meeting.  The record should indicate “name not known”.
        Mr. DiCandido and Mr. Borst pointed out changes to the Administrators Contract copies received by the Council.  Chairman Rodgers will look into this and it will be discussed at a future meeting.  

COMMITTEE REPORTS:  Education – Mr. Borst reported that five National Merit Scholars from Newtown were at the last Board of Education meeting.  One of these scholars is in the .01% of the top group of scholars.   The Head O’Meadow project is on budget and 1.5 weeks ahead of schedule.
        Finance – Mr. DiCandido reported that the Board of Finance voted 4 – 1 to recommend that the Council accept the proposed 05/06 budget as presented by the Board of Finance.

FIRST SELECTMANS REPORT:  
First Selectman Rosenthal received an e-mail from D. DeVries who is a consultant with the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding.  They are preparing a study to determine the cost of education adequacy in Connecticut public schools.  The study begin on 9/10/04 and ends on 6/30/05. The study shows that Newtown has received one of the largest reductions in state aid.  If the state were properly funding education, a lot of the arguments that come up at budget time would become moot.
        There are a few proposed Bills that could still increase funds for Newtown, including Town Aid Road funds, PILOT (Payment in lieu of taxes), special education excess cost reimbursement and extension of the conveyance tax.  Realtors are arguing against continuation of the conveyance tax.
        The EPA is taking action against the town because of the Reed School oil spill with a fine of up to $32,500.  The town attorney is appealing.


NEW BUSINESS

Proposed 2005/2006 Budget
Mr. DiCandido moved to accept the recommendation of the Board of Finance and to adopt the 2005/2006 Board of Selectmen Budget in the amount of $33,067,456 and the 2005/2006 Board of Education Budget in the amount of $56,938,770 for a Total 2005/2006 Budget in the amount of $90,006,226.  Motion seconded.
        
Mr. Borst moved to AMEND by increasing the 2005/2006 Board of Education Budget to $57,154,770 (an increase of $216,000).  Motion seconded.
        
Mr. Hemingway moved to AMEND the amendment by increasing the 2005/2006 Board of Education Budget to $57,338,770 (an increase of $400,000).  Motion seconded.
AMENDMENT ($400,000 increase) FAILED:  7 NO (Shpunt, Baiad, Recht, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers, Amaral) – 5 YES (Brown, Iassogna, Borst, Pennarola, Hemingway)

AMENDMENT ($216,000 increase) FAILED:  8 NO (Shpunt, Baiad, Recht, DiCandido, Brown, Holian, Rodgers, Amaral) – 4 YES (Iassogna, Borst, Pennarola, Hemingway)

Mr. Brown moved to AMEND by increasing the 2005/2006 Board of Education Budget to $57, 328,770 ($390,000 increase).  Motion seconded and failed:  7 NO (Shpunt, Baiad, Recht, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers, Amaral) – 5 YES (Brown, Iassogna, Borst, Pennarola, Hemingway)

MAIN MOTION CARRIED (Total $90,006,226):  7 YES (Shpunt, Baiad, Recht, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers, Amaral ) – 5 NO (Brown, Iassogna, Borst, Pennarola, Hemingway)

Mr. Holian moved the 2005/2006 Board of Selectmen Revenue in the amount of $11,655,935 and a 2005/2006 Board of Education Revenue in the amount of $4,274,840 for a Total Amount to be Raised by Taxation in the amount of 74,075,451.  Motion seconded and carried:  7 YES (Shpunt, Baiad, Recht, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers, Amaral) – 5 NO (Brown, Iassogna, Borst, Pennarola, Hemingway)

Mr. Holian moved to recommend a 2005/2006 Mill Rate in the amount of 26.1 mills.  Motion seconded and carried:  7 YES (Shpunt, Baiad, Recht, DiCandido, Holian, Rodgers) – 5 NO (Brown, Iassogna, Borst, Pennarola,  Hemingway)

Having no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.




                                                                Jan Andras, Clerk Pro Tem