Pucker up and blow ...

Connecticut Attorney General's Office
Whistleblower Unit



The Attorney General’s Whistleblower Unit investigates information communicated to the Auditors of Public Accounts or the Attorney General regarding corruption, unethical practices, violation of state laws or regulations, mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority and danger to the public safety occurring in any state agency, quasi public agency (show link that defines quasi public agency as Connecticut Development Authority, Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority, Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority, Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Connecticut Housing Authority, Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority, Connecticut Hazardous Waste Management Service, Connecticut Port Authority, Capital City Economic Development Authority and Connecticut Lottery Corporation) or large state contracts. At the conclusion of his investigation, the Attorney General may report his findings to the Governor or the Chief State's Attorney.

WhistleBlower Reports

All complaints should be filed in writing with the Auditors of Public Accounts, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106, or by telephone:

Toll Free within Connecticut: (800) 797-1702
Locally: (860) 566-6150
You can visit Auditors of Public Accounts.

The Whistleblower law prohibits employees and officers of state agencies, quasi public agencies and large state contractors from threatening or taking any personnel action against an employee in retaliation for the employee’s reporting information to the Auditors of Public Accounts or the Attorney General. An employee who believes that he or she has been retaliated against can report this to the Attorney General. The employee may have specific legal rights under laws that protect whistleblowers, under union contracts, and may be able to file an administrative complaint with the Chief Human Rights Referee of the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. The Attorney General may investigate retaliation claims but cannot provide legal advice or counsel to the employee. You can visit Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

NF BOE vs Taxpayer and the loser is? The children.

There was a special meeting of the BOE on February 24th. was called on a short notice. The first issue was to approve the school project as recommended by the PBC (identical to what the BOE sent them - no changes).   The issue of water, a touchy subject, was brought up.  To meet the state's requirement for the fire sprinkler system, their either has to be a big water tank or municipal water.  Neither is in the school budget, and both are costly.  Dr. Castagnola verified that the water is not in the cost estimate.  There is just $121,000 in the budget to run a water pipe from Consolidated to MHHS. [The cost of running a water main is approximately $125.00 a linear foot.]  Besides the water main, one will need diesel backup for power failures as water doesn't run uphill.

There were questions whether the water wells at Consolidated are adequate to supply the large water flow required.  The other alternative is to bring water from town.  But where from and who pays?  Memorial field also has inadequate flow.  So, we will need another supply of water - probably Dunham Pond.  [Presently there is a 6 inch water main at Dunham Pond, certainly adequate to handle the capacity and flow.] If there is no water, there is no Certificate of Occupancy [CofO], and no state reimbursement. It was emphasized by a member of the board that in order to not have an empty school because of inadequate water for the fire sprinkler system, we have to cost in at least one solution that can be completed in time (project to start 6/2010 and be finished 8/2012).  The PBC was clueless about the need for "fire" water.  They said they will look into it.  Duh, Paul Bruno, past Chairman of the Board of Education and member of the PBC and Planning Commission should be on top of the issue.

Everyone is aware of things that flow down hill especially water.  There is a water study that recommends bringing water down from the HS, Paul Bruno certainly knows about it.  Keep in mind is easier to let water to flow downhill than to pump it uphill.

A further issue was raised about the contractor at risk clause ... there is no cap on overruns; Dr. Castagnola said it was not needed.  While there is a 5% contingency, the construction manager (O&G) will cap the cost with a 5% fee once the quotes are in.

The PBC is also considering an add/alternate clause for geothermal.

SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS

• 3/4 Powerpoint presentation to BOS.
  
• 4/1 BOS vote to put on referendum (5/2).
  
• 4/20 Town meeting.
  
• 5/2 Referendum (one item for both schools for $34M, coincident with budget referendum).
  

The vote on the BOE was 4-2-0.

Another issue breaking wind was to make corrections to the HS Ed. Spec. in order to make capacity and population numbers agree.  It was pointed out that there is a difference between capacity and enrollment.  The questioned was called and they voted 4-2-0 to make everything the same.

Note, capacity is set by a state formula based on square foot and grade.  Enrollment, or population, is the actual number of students enrolled.  The designed capacity was 886. The population was 939 for 07/08 and 975 for 08/09.

So where do we go from here?  

STIMULUS GRANTS "MISDIRECTED"

To the Editor:

A few years ago, the town was awarded a $350,000 STEAP Grant for sidewalks in the downtown aea.  John Hodge had that grant reallocated and bundled it with a $50,000 Endangered Property Grant and $50,000 in donations totaling $450,000 for establishing a Museum District.  We were led to believe the two houses would be moved and the Museum District would be completed for that amount.  As of 11/30/2008, the Museum District Fund has a balance of $6,266 remaining and no bridge to allow access to it.

John Hodge spent $19,772 to rent a temporary bridge in order to move the two houses to their present location.  After removing the temporary bridge, another $22,500 was spent for the purchase of what was supposed to be a permanent bridge.  Unfortunately, Mr. Hodge failed to apply for the permit from the DEP which is required in order to change the course of Ball Pond Brook or to build a bridge over it.  After the bridge was completely set in place, the DEP ordered John Hodge to disassemble and remove the bridge, and return the brook back to its normal course.  To this date, there is no access to the two houses.

                                  View of Ball Pond Brook to the Dam

We have been told this project would be completed with the $450,000 from grants and donations and without the use of one thin dime of taxpayer's money.

The Public Works Dept. has approximately $150,000 of labor, and equipment time already put into this project, which, I am certain, will never be recoped.  Is this not taxpayer's money???

John Hodge has now applied to the State for stimulus grants that include $750,000 for a pedestrian footbridge, which will provide access to the two houses.  He mentions in his request that there are ten and one half acres of land on which he wants to put hiking trails.  Three quarters of a million dollars for a footbridge and a few hiking trails seems like an awful lot of money to finish offa project that was supposed to cost $450,000 to begin with.

I fully support getting whatever we can out of the stimulus program, but I also feel whatever we do get should be used wisely and not squandered.

Art Azzarito

Muscial Chairs at the PBC

The Permanent [well not so permanent] Building Committee members trade position as those they were major league ball players. Al Mardis and Tony Iadarola resigned as full members of the PBC, and were appointed as alternate members. Alternates Paul Bruno [has served on more boards by appointment than election] and James Cunha were appointed as full members. You don't need a script to see who carries the water for John Hodge. Sort of like the old Abbott and Costello baseball parody, "Who's on first".

Bridge to Nowhere (A Thousand Lies)

-----Original Message----- 

 CLICK ON THE VIDEO AND READ THE MESSAGE BELOW
From: ldirocco1@aol.com
To: mconnolly@newstimes.com
Sent: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:09 am
Subject: Lettter to the Editor

To The Editor:

New Fairfield's First Selectman John Hodge has requested $750,000 in stimulus funds for a foot bridge and pathways to access two "old houses" in his so called Museum District.  To make such a nonsensical request when there are so many real and pressing economic needs is both an insult and an embarrassment to the citizens of New Fairfield.

By way of history, two years ago Hodge established a "Museum District" in a swampy low lying area of New Fairfield and relocated these so-called historic houses to the other side of a brook which currently has no bridge to access them and a project that has no money left to build one.

During the course of the last two years Hodge has both mismanaged and misrepresented the details of this project to the citizens of New Fairfield and it is for this reason and many other obvious reasons that funds from the stimulus package should not be used as a "bailout" for Hodge's stupid mistakes.

I hope that Governor Rell will have the wisdom and needed support to allocate these precious funds to projects that will do the most good for the citizens of Connecticut as they should not be used as a bailout for the failed promises made by politicians such as John Hodge.

Lucy DiRocco

Governor Rell speaks out ...

Bloat, Budget, Pain, ... all leads to hard choices! Zero increase in Town budget is the proper course of action.

Budget cuts in neighboring New Milford highlights leadership of Mayor Patricia Murphy as she recommended the Board of Education budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year remain the same as the current year; $56.9 million. She proposes a town budget that is some $2 million less than the current year -- $31.7 million with another $1.5 million in capital purchases. Combined total is $90 million, with $66 million to be raised through taxes. Based on a mill rate of 22.52, a resident with a home valued at $233,580 would pay $5,260 in taxes, or about $70 more than the current year.

New Fairfield must follow the leadership of Mayor Murphy and hold fast on the BOE and Town budgets.  Zero increase is better than the alternative.  The biggest chunk of expense in teh educational budget is salaries.  If the town can reduce its spending to zero, then the school in a declining enrollment should not have any problem.

.

New Fairfield budget proposals call for tax increase under 3 percent

By Dirk Perrefort
Staff Writer
Posted: 02/13/2009 07:19:27 PM EST

NEW FAIRFIELD -- Town and school officials endorsed separate budgets this week that call for a combined tax increase of just under three percent.

The majority of the increase comes from the school district's contractual salary obligations.

The Board of Education approved a budget Tuesday that calls for a 2.79 percent spending increase, the majority of which is a $721,000 increase in salaries for teachers and administrators.

The Board of Selectman approved a budget during its meeting Thursday night that actually calls for a spending decrease of nearly 0.5 percent. The town side of spending is about 25 percent of the overall budget.

First Selectman John Hodge asked all department heads to come up with 2009-10 budget proposals that did not increase 2008-09 spending.

"The department heads did a super job this year," he said. "It made what we had to do a lot easier because everyone worked as a team."

He said they were able to reduce municipal spending -- without staff reductions or using any money from the fund balances -- because of savings in utility costs and a reduction in nonrecurring capital expenses.

Hodge said the town's road-paving program, which aims to repave all roads in town on an eight-year cycle, will continue despite the skyrocketing costs of asphalt.

Craig McClain, the director of management services for the school district, said the non-salary portion of its budget, which includes everything except personnel costs, maintained the current year's spending.

He said about $351,000 was saved from reduced debt payments and utility costs. The overall spending increase for the school district is about $1.2 million.

Health care costs, however, are projected to increase about 12 percent through next year, a $481,000 increase over current spending. Officials hope the actual health care costs are lower than the projections.

Finance director Jay Waterman said the town and school budgets as presented would result in an estimated tax increase of about 2.9 percent.

The budget proposals will now go before the Board of Finance for its review and consideration.

Referundum Conrundrum ... The Shell Game

Permanent Building Committee

New Fairfield Town Hall

New Fairfield, CT 06812

Minutes

Call to Order:
A special meeting of the Permanent Building Committee was held on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009 immediately following the Board of Education meeting in the high school library. The meeting was called to order at 8:00 p.m. 

Members in attendance were Temporary Chairman P Viola,
S. Merullo, D. Ricci, P. Bruno and J. Cunha.

Guests-J. Hodge, Dr. Castagnola, A. Roy, M. Coelho, S. McLain, P. Ross, K. Hanson, K. Chance, R. Langham, V. Flagello, K. Biega, S. Pellman and C. Roof.

Appointments:
P. Viola elevated P. Bruno and J. Cunha to voting members for this meeting.

Public Comment:
Nothing new to report.

School District Projects:
Discussion on future PBC/BOE meetings and procedures:

K. Biega presented the draft timeline. He stated that it might be possible to start the asbestos abatement in the summer of 2009.  Discussion followed on the wording of the referendum. J. Hodge stated that the library board would like the question on the library renovation project on the same referendum.

MOTION: S. Merullo made a motion to go to referendum at the time of the first budget vote, with both projects presented as one question. Seconded by D. Ricci. The vote carried 4-1-0.

MOTION: S. Merullo made a motion to accept timeline as presented with the understanding that there may be some changes as we go along. Seconded by P. Bruno. Unanimous.

Discussion followed on the presentation of the project to the Board of selectmen. K. Biega stated that he and S. Pellman will present the project but he would need one person to take the lead from the BOE and PBC. The financial impact on taxpayers should also be presented at this time.

Update and Discussion:
K. Biega presented the conceptual design estimate dated Feb. 6, 2009. He presented the square footage breakout for the high school labs and MHHS renovation project. At this time any questions about the project were discussed with the architect and construction manager.  S. Pellman answered a question regarding if a modular unit was looked at to replace the butler wing. He responded that a modular unit was looked at but it cost $900,000 more than a conventional building and had many limitations such as ceiling heights and unit ventilators.

S. Merullo asked if they had looked at all the options and that this is the best plan you are proposing? K. Biega responded yes it is.  Discussion followed on the geothermal option. K. Biega will invite Concord Engineering to do a presentation at a PBC meeting on the geothermal
system.

Discussion followed that the geothermal system would be an add alternate to the project and value engineering would need to be done to find money if this option were to be included in the project.  P. Viola stated that at the last meeting he presented an email from J. Landers.  He stated that he answered her questions in regard to the sprinkler system and the selection of the architect and she is satisfied.

MOTION: S. Merullo made a motion to approve the school projects as presented by the Board of Education, BL Companies and O & G Industries, with the understanding that the geothermal system be taken out of the project. Seconded by P. Bruno. Discussion followed. P. Viola stated that he had planned to defer this vote until the next PBC meeting since the Board of Selectmen will meet this week and elevate alternates to regular members.

John Hodge agreed and added that a permanent chairman will also be in place at the next PBC meeting. J. Hodge stated that this is an important vote and should wait until the PBC‘s next meeting. K. Hanson encouraged the PBC members to get the financial impact statement before approving the project.

S. Merullo withdrew the motion.
Discussion followed that bonding is now at 1%.  Dr. Castagnola stated that after the initial presentation to the Board of Selectmen the project can be presented to various groups in town such as PTO’s and other community organizations.

Dr. Castagnola stated that if the PBC gets the project approved at their meeting on the 19th, the presentation to the Board of Selectmen can be made in early March.

Adjournment:
MOTION: P. Bruno made a motion for adjournment at 9:10 p.m. Seconded
by S. Merullo. Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah Nahabedian
Secretary-PBC

QUESTIONS

So the BOS, PBC AND BOE are trying to have one question to cover both the library and school additions, typical ‘ good pill bad pill’ approach.  A all or nothing vote that will most likely hurt the library.  Wonder how the library board feels about that approach.

This approach was used by Dan Reese some years ago when he lumped a number of bond issue all together got voted down 2 or 3 times before they separated them; then 3 of the 4 got approved with the purchase of the Dunham Property going down for the final count.

By suggesting this approach they aren’t sure the taxpayers will accept either or, my option.

Towns face smaller subsidy for resident state troopers

By Melissa Bruen
STAFF WRITER
Posted: 02/16/2009 07:56:15 PM EST

Officials in Connecticut towns served by resident state troopers are facing the hard reality that a provision in Gov. M. Jodi Rell's new budget proposal cuts subsidies for those troopers.

The state's Department of Public Safety has 118 officers assigned as resident state troopers in 57 of Connecticut's 169 cities and towns, most of which do not have their own police departments. The state government pays 30 percent of the cost.

Rell's budget proposes eliminating that subsidy as part of a plan to close budget deficits estimated near $1 billion this fiscal year and about $8 billion over the next two fiscal years.

Her budget would cut the subsidy from 30 percent to 15 percent next year, then eliminate it entirely the following year.

The New Fairfield Board of Selectmen plans to stay the course and continue with its hybrid police force of five officers and a supervising resident state trooper sergeant, even if that means the town's wallet becomes a little lighter.

"We have what we need (in terms of staffing). We have no intention of cutting back on our police force. It just makes things difficult for us," New Fairfield First Selectman John Hodge said Monday.

He said the town has put the worst-case scenario figures into its budget to ensure it is able to maintain its law enforcement.

"Look, it hurts. We would like to still keep the reimbursement we have now," he said.

He said federal stimulus money could be used to offset some of the subsidy cuts the governor has planned, specifically money for law enforcement.

"I will be lobbying our state senators and representatives to use that money to underwrite the state trooper (costs) at the local levels," Hodge said.

The resident state trooper arrangement was started in 1947 to help a few isolated rural towns have better police coverage rather than the periodic patrols they received from the nearest barracks.

At the time, the state paid half the cost. Its share has decreased in the past several decades to 30 percent as dozens of towns have joined the program.

Rell's budget office estimates that requiring towns to pay the full cost of their resident state trooper would save as much as $8 million in the next two years.

Critics have complained for years that cities and mid-size suburbs with their own police departments are subsidizing a service that exclusively benefits small towns.

Leaders of those small towns counter that much of the tax revenue from their communities gets pumped into Connecticut's big cities. They say rural towns get little state help and cutting back further would be unreasonable.

"Small towns are losing more than the bigger cities (percentage wise) under the governor's proposal, and clearly it would be the smaller towns that have resident state troopers," Hodge said.

Some places, like Sherman, have one trooper providing law enforcement for the entire town, with the understanding that the trooper can call on others if more are needed.

"We are totally dependent on our resident state trooper. A town like (Sherman) could never support a police department," O'Connor said.

She said the idea of towns without police teaming up with towns with large police forces would not be effective.

"We need somebody whose knows the community and our specific problems. This is not going to happen with another town's police force, (which) is why the resident state trooper program has been so beneficial in small towns like ours."

So how will towns afford their resident troopers?

"We've committed to a zero tax increase in this budget," O'Connor said. "I will sacrifice other aspects of my budget to maintain that."

Contact Melissa Bruen at (203) 731-3350 or at mbruen@newstimes.com.

Leadership deficit in New Fairfield ...

WE MUST STOP SPENDING: The reason why we MUST STOP spending and start living within our means means we can not run and can not hide. What can I do ... we must start in our own backyard. We must live within our means. John Hodge doesn't get it ... we need to change the direction of New Fairfield and stop spending.

A printed copy [pdf] of the video presentation is available ... http://www.pgpf.org/resources/PGPFCitizensGuide.pdf

General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 5875

General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 5875
January Session, 2009 LCO No. 1726
Referred to Committee on Planning and Development

Introduced by:
REP. JOHNSTON, 51st Dist.
AN ACT AUTHORIZING DISTRICTS TO MAINTAIN WATER QUALITY IN LAKES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That section 7-326 of the general statutes be amended to authorize the establishment of taxing districts to maintain water quality in lakes and that section 7-328 of the general statutes be amended to provide that costs to such district in the maintenance of water quality in the lake shall be assessed apportioned among the properties benefited based upon area, street frontage, assessed valuation of the land in the last-completed grand list of the municipality, the present or permitted use of any real property, or any combination of relevant factors.

Statement of Purpose:
To establish a process for the maintenance of water quality in lakes.

Governor Jodi Rell - Spot On!

BUDGETS, COMMON SENSE AND ACTION

Thank You, Governor Rell!!!

The following link provides a detailed look at Municipal Aid ... worth the read.

Statutory Formula Grants

Introduction

Pursuant to §4-71a of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS), the Office of Policy and Management compiles data for certain ongoing state grant programs under which payments to municipalities are determined by statutory formulas. Though not all-inclusive, information for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009 should help provide a general guide to proposed overall grant funding levels for FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11. Estimates for grants payable in the current fiscal year, based on approved appropriations, are also included.

Text appearing in boldface type indicates proposed legislation that could, if enacted, significantly change the referenced program. Italicized type reflects text with added emphasis.

The Governor’s Recommended Budget for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009, which the General Assembly may amend, is the basis for the FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11 grant estimates.  Grantees include municipalities (a category that encompasses cities, towns, boroughs and the unconsolidated City of Groton) and regional school districts that receive education program funding directly from the State of Connecticut. For some programs, data from a prior year is the basis of grant estimates because current data are not available; program summaries identify these grants. Due to rounding and the exclusion of data for certain lesser taxing districts, the totals for some columns do not precisely reflect approved or recommended funding.

Grantee-specific estimates are not available for the programs listed under Additional Grants (descriptions of which begin on Page E-11). For each of these programs, the total amounts expended or available for expenditure in FY 2008-09, as well as recommended appropriations for FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11, appear on Page E-35.

Please direct questions concerning grant programs to the appropriate agency. Staff from the Department of Education’s Division of Finance and Internal Operations (860-713-6455) answers questions concerning all education program grants. Under the Grants Management directory on the agency’s website (www.sde.ct.gov) periodic data updates of education grants are available. Department of Transportation staff (860-594-2675) answers questions concerning the Town Aid Road Grant. The Department of Public Health (860-509-7703) is the contact for questions concerning the School-based Health Clinic grant program and the Department of Social Services (860-424-5842) is responsible for Child Day Care Grants. For questions regarding any other program in this section, contact the Office of Policy and Management's Intergovernmental

Affairs Unit (860-418-6432).

Note – CGS §12-62 governs real property revaluation requirements for Connecticut towns. A town’s failure to implement a revaluation in accordance with statutory requirements could result in the imposition of a penalty equal to the forfeiture of 50% of its Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Grant and the loss of the amount otherwise allocable under the Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP). The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may waive the penalty for a reason set forth in CGS §12-62(d).

Remember When ... NF was a culture gulch ...

Remember When ... Gateway Theater is alive and well ... in Bellport, NY.
Showboat ... such productions are missed!  However, stay tuned!  Soon, BOS and BOF meetings will be posted (edited) on this blog.  While productions like Showboat will not top the list, there will be meaningful programming of important issues.  

Partisan Trends

Number of Unaffiliated Voters Grows in January  During January, the number of Americans who say they are not affiliated with either the Republican or the Democratic Party rose by a full percentage point to 26.6%.  New Fairfield has more voters registered un-affiliated than the combined total of Republican and Democratic voters which puts a twist on the up coming election.

Wyman Projects Record-Setting Deficit of $1.1 Billion

Date: February 2, 2009
Contact: Steve Jensen: 860-702-3308/3301
E-mail: Steven.Jensen@po.state.ct.us
Cell: 860-539-9298


Wyman Projects Record-Setting Deficit of $1.1 Billion

State Comptroller Nancy Wyman today said the projected state budget deficit has ballooned to $1.1 billion, which will be Connecticut's largest ever if it holds until the end of the fiscal year June 30.

"The bottom has simply fallen out of every major tax category," Wyman said. "This is an enormous fiscal crisis that will take difficult and decisive government action on behalf of Connecticut's taxpayers."

The worst deficit on record came in 1991, when the shortfall reached $965 million on an overall budget of about $6 billion. The current projected deficit of $1.1 billion is based on a 2009 budget of $18.4 billion.

Since last month, projected income tax collections have dropped by $665 million, mainly due to a 20-percent drop in quarterly estimated-tax payments typically made by investors and those who receive yearly bonuses. That decline will also mean that the state will likely pay out about $74 million more in tax refunds than was anticipated.

The payroll withholding portion of the income tax is also in steep decline, due to the loss of more than 25,000 jobs in the last three months of calendar 2008.  The state's unemployment rate climbed to 7.1 percent in December from 6.6 percent the previous month. Collections of the sales tax are down by $100 million from original estimates.

Wyman's estimate includes nearly $500 million in deficit-mitigation steps that have been approved by the General Assembly. As she has since last October, Wyman again called on the governor and the legislature to act decisively on the current revenue shortage and a "structural" budget imbalance of more than $500 million caused by using previous years' surplus funds to fund ongoing programs.

"As the end of the fiscal year draws closer, options to deal with this deficit become fewer and fewer," Wyman said. "Failure to act quickly will inevitably lead to the near-emptying of the state's $1.4 billion Rainy Fund."



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Mr. Marty Andrews gets the cold shoulder

My litmus test isn't a person's party affiliation, it's the person's ideas.  If they don't think the way I do, then I have no use for them.  I surround myself with "YES" men and women, that way I'm sure I will get my way.  John Hodge's denial of a citizen volunteering for a position on a board was proof positive of his unwillingness to accept competing and contrary opinions.  Mr. Andrews exhibits that New England character that has shaped and defined New England since the Piligrams landed.  An out spoken individual is a breath of fresh air which helps to establish some boundaries on issues.  Point - counter point ... figure ground relationships ... its the stone upon which we sharpen our focus and advance mutual interest and issues while establishing policies that are thought out.  Mr. Hodge's personal opinion permeates his administration and his summary denial of Mr. Andrews volunteering clearly defines his style of management.  Mr. Hodge you only won re-election by just a hair over 100 votes,  don't forget you represent ALL THE PEOPLE OF NEW FAIRFIELD ... not just yourself.