06/18/2026
Fairfield Hills update from Ben Ruben đđťââď¸
Last nightâs Legislative Council meeting was an important one for taxpayers and anyone who cares about the future of Fairfield Hills.
We heard updates from both CIF/BOE and Ordinance.
In my role on CIF/BOE, I reported that our June meetings were cancelled so we can prepare for a July 6th âworkshopâ session with a consultant. Theyâll spend four hours on site helping us organize prior discussions and narrow down options for the future of the district before anything is brought to the public. More to come stay tuned.
The Ordinance Committee reported that the Veterans Tax Relief ordinance is complete. The Council unanimously approved the language, and a public hearing is scheduled for 7:00 PM on July 1st before our regular meeting. Thank you again to former Republican LC member John Zachos, who first introduced this veteranâs relief in October 2025 and worked hard on behalf of Newtownâs veterans.
Under New Business, we approved the FY 2026 tax suspense list for collection by the Tax Office. I asked how many new delinquent properties were added, because rising delinquencies can be a warning sign about both collections and the cost of living in Newtown. The Finance Director noted that tax collections are currently about $380,000 below projections, and she will be providing more detail at an upcoming meeting.
The big item of the night was the Shelton House lease at Fairfield Hills. We held a public hearing at 7:00 PM and heard residents both raise concerns and express optimism about adding housing and commercial space at Shelton (up to 5,000 sq. ft.) and Kent (up to 10,000 sq. ft.).
I raised several questions on behalf of residents:
⢠Why wasnât the full lease made available to the public before the hearing?
⢠Will parking on campus be an issue as more buildings are developed?
⢠Will campus events conflict with the new buildings?
We were told parking will be addressed through new spaces from both the developer and the Fairfield Hills Authority (with help from a state grant), and that events will continue âbusiness as usual.â
As someone who has lived in Newtown for just over five years and did not vote in the original Fairfield Hills referendum, I took this decision seriously.
My priorities are:
⢠Protecting taxpayers from future demolition and remediation costs. Every building we let rot at Fairfield Hills eventually becomes a 100% taxpayer-funded liability, with demolition alone on a single building potentially north of $10 million.
⢠Preserving historic buildings and open space by reusing existing structures on already developed land is better than pushing new construction into our remaining open space. Done right, Fairfield Hills can be a vibrant campus with active buildings, commercial opportunities, and a gathering place for residents.
We also heard that Newtown is being considered for designation as a Cultural Arts District, which would be a major recognition. There are currently only a small number of such districts in the state.
If you want a Council that truly listens, nights like this are when your voice matters most.
If you have questions or comments, please post them here or email me at [email protected].
