It can’t be possible. It seems like just yesterday that I was sitting down to write about the stories I wanted to read for 2011, and here we are another year later.
In , I regret to report that my wishes for the past year did not fare very well.
The Charter Revision Commission has taken no further action on ballot wording and the situation at Fairfield Hills is, if anything, more tenuous than it was a year ago with Planning and Zoning apparently on the brink of ignoring the wishes of Newtown citizens regarding housing there.
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The only area giving cause for optimism was that the school system did receive some good news regarding its academic accomplishments.
Connecticut Mastery Test scores improved and three Newtown schools made it to .
Find out what's happening in Newtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
All in all, though, 2011 was a rather tumultuous year for Newtown — in politics and weather.
Nevertheless, there were plenty of things to admire and applaud about the year 2011 — not the least of which was the peaceful selection of various people to fill important posts in town.
The right to vote is the bedrock of a democracy and we manage to make it work over and over — although it would be nice if more people participated.
So, now, here we are, 2012.
Here are a few of the stories I would like to read in Patch over the coming year.
First and foremost I hope to see the cloud of confusion — and deception — slowly dissipate over the Board of Education.
I am very optimistic that one day soon the sun will shine fully on that important entity.
In the short amount of time that the new board has been in place, it is obvious that honesty and transparency are a top priority. Don’t be at all surprised to see some key resignations over the coming months.
As a corollary to this, I hope to read that the State Labor Board has ruled that the bidding process for student transportation services was indeed flawed, to the extent that makes the contract award to All Star null and void. This will hopefully clear the way for the board to open the door to our friends and neighbors — the owner operators.
A further corollary to this is my hope that we see more articles regarding the academic initiatives and achievements of our school system.
The various problems surrounding the Board of Education will work themselves out. Now it’s time to focus on the fine work of our teachers, students and administrators at our schools. I hope to be a part of that process, and will, in fact, be presenting a column in the very near future to kick off that initiative.
The next thing on my Patch Article Wish List is to see the town finally arrive at a resolution to the issue. This can begin with P&Z’s decision to prohibit housing — of any kind — on that campus.
To me there is nothing clearer than the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Newtown citizens — no housing at FFH — period.
What is it you don’t understand about this, P&Z? This isn’t about what you want. It’s about what the people want. Get with it.
The rest of my wish list is the usual stuff: a relatively stress-free budget season, greater cooperation between the boards of Finance and Education and growing prosperity for the people of our town.
That’s not too much to ask for, is it?
With that, I wish all of you and your families a year of good health and good times. And remember two important things: hope springs eternal and laughter is the best medicine.
