"We are making every effort to cut down your time as a witness," Senator Daniel K. Inouye, the committee co-chairman, said to Colonel North.

Senator Kevin B. Sullivan, a committee co-chairman, tried to spike that line of reasoning.

"Mr. Box 'negotiated' this settlement with his hand-picked committee co-chairmen," they said in a court filing.

Sure," said Representative John Wayne Fox, a Democrat from Stamford who is the committee co-chairman.

Francis Roberts, superintendent, Cold Spring Harbor District, committee co-chairman.

It may still, though, because the board thinks Circle Line should pay for part of the $3.5 million deck, said John Doswell, the committee co-chairman.

Representative Thomas J. Kane, a committee co-chairman, said that given the voters' clear will as expressed in the initiative, "we can't let it die."

While the court decision on Monday was a defeat for Mr. Rowland, the committee co-chairmen said that nonetheless, they do not expect him to testify.

Six silent seconds passed before Arthur J. O'Neill, the committee co-chairman, responded.

The committee co-chairman, Richard Asche, suggested that the tenants get a good lawyer and that all parties settle the dispute quickly.