Letters to the Editor

An open letter to the first selectman

First Selectman David Campbell:

Last night I spoke at the RTM meeting about the tax abatement ordinance, I had to bite my tongue in the middle of it. I refrained from using your name and Fred Conze's while making my point as to how we can use the powerful new "tool" that tax abatement can be if done properly. I used Garden Homes as an example in a negative light after you and Fred had spoken positively about it. I expressed that with this new tool we could entice builders to build 100 percent affordable housing. I explained that this legislation is being rapidly pushed though for Allen-O'Neill and that it has a far greater use than AON.

Also, my opening statement was, the previous administration said, "We would never be in compliance with 10 percent affordable housing." I followed with, "David Campbell has not said what he intends to do."

The previous administration's course, developments like Garden Homes is suicidal. I hope you can project a new message that we will be changing our course and we will address our 10 percent shortfall as if we intend to meet the requirements. The importance of the tax ordinance is to build 100 percent affordable housing. Note: 100 percent affordable yields only 90 percent because we have increased our housing stock.

There is a magic number in rental unit developments that landlords/developers/slumlords see as the breaking point of profitability. The number is 24 units.

Had the tax ordinance been in place perhaps Garden Homes could have been just 25 units of 100 percent affordable housing.

Let's do the math on Garden Homes. Thirty-five units added to Darien's housing stock; 10 percent are required to be affordable. Add 3.5 to our 500 shortfall. Garden Homes has 11 units of affordable or 11 minus 3.5 = 7.5. Our 500-point shortfall is reduced from 500 to 492.5. As you can see Garden Homes does virtually nothing. Furthermore, the sewage from 35 new units are being connected to the already polluting Stony Brook Pump Station. Eighty-one more homes are also scheduled to be connected with the Goodwives Sewer Project. I realize you are looking for a moratorium but this is like taking a cash advance on one credit card to pay another.

Mr. Campbell you are a "Campbell" therefore, we all expect more from you.

Chris Noe

RTM District 2

Neighbors aren't thrilled about new eatery

To the editor:

Last week, a letter to the editor explained the merits of a healthy fast food drive-thru restaurant on the Post Road at the Richmond Drive corner across from the busy Darien Diner.

Public safety in the area during busy times was not addressed by the applicant in the letter. They had also previously ignored this key issue in their two presentations to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

We are a few of the neighbors that spoke at the public hearing -- representing approximately 65 families that use the Richmond Drive entrance and exit to our neighborhood on a daily basis. We are concerned about our safety and that of potential customers of this fast food business.

The issue is exiting and entering Richmond Drive -- necessary to reach the drive-thru. At busy times, traffic on the Post Road and Richmond Drive makes the turns into and out of the neighborhood very difficult. In addition, the intersection is poorly designed. The traffic on this narrow stretch of roadway has increased many times over with the success of the Darien Diner. The Post Road has heavy traffic at peak hours here with backups from east-bound traffic to the big box stores in Norwalk and west-bound traffic from Norwalk entering I-95.

This is the wrong business for this very small site. The peak hours (i.e. traffic) match the busy hours of the Darien Diner. The turn into Richmond from the Post Road will cause backups on the Post Road at a busy location. Cars that can't get into the Darien Diner parking lot now turn around in the neighbors' driveways or, worse, drive around confused in the Richmond Drive neighborhood which has 37 children under the age of 16. These are current problems during busy times without the addition of a traffic-based business.

We respect the applicant's commitment to try their new concept in our town, but suggest that the location should not be one where the public safety of the neighbors and their patrons is at risk. We trust that the Planning and Zoning commission will come to the same conclusion and not grant the special permit that has been requested.

Peggy Barthold

Michael Koenitzer

Joe Pizzarelli

John Price

Lois Schneider

High school must be adequately staffed

To the Editor:

We would like to express our concern regarding the proposed budget and specifically teacher staffing levels at Darien High School. An unexpected and unfunded increase of 40 students this year has already pushed class sizes beyond the recommended guidelines set by the Board of Education.

Currently 101 sections, or 43 percent of all 300/400 level English, math, social studies and science classes are at or above the recommended class size guidelines. Of those 101 sections, 43 sections have 24 or more students currently enrolled.

Next year, Darien High School is expecting approximately 60 additional students. This represents an increase of 8 percent over two years and brings the DHS enrollment to its highest level since 1981. Despite an increase of 100 new students, only 1.25 new teachers are proposed in next year's budget, a reduction from the four teachers which the high school administration considers necessary. This lack of appropriate staffing at the high school will increase class sizes to levels we have never before experienced at DHS and potentially compromise the quality of education for our students.

Over the years, Darien citizens, school administrators and teachers have worked tirelessly to build a first-class school system. While we understand the economic times are challenging, we need to be smart about what resources we choose to limit. Shoehorning 26 to 28 students into a class will negatively impact learning and the results will be felt for years to come. Should the education of our children be sacrificed on our town's budgetary altar? We think not.

We urge you to contact the Board of Education and the Board of Finance to express your concern about the current education budget and DHS class sizes.

Kathleen Del Col and Barbara Alter

Co-Chairwomen, DHS Parents

Association

Outrage over denial

of staff request

To the editor:

As a Darien taxpayer and Darien High School parent, I am outraged that the Board of Education is considering denying the DHS administration's request for 4.05 new teachers in the 2010-2011 school year to meet next year's increased high school student enrollment.

I recognize that these are challenging economic times, but our class size policy and the quality of education for our children must not be compromised in the name of a short-term budget fix. The current recommended class size policy -- that the board itself authored -- for the high school is 18 to 22 students per class. Yet, already 43 percent of our junior and senior level English, science, social studies and math classes flout this policy -- with 22 or more students. Forty-three classes have 24 or more students and 17 classes have 25 or more students. One AP history class has 26 students.

Any further increases in DHS class size are not acceptable. Surely the board can find other areas of savings and efficiencies to winnow down the budget -- without diminishing the quality of our children's high school education.

Sandy Burke

Darien