Selectmen Delay Signing Lease For Veterinary Hospital

By Kendra Bobowick

They will sign the lease for Woodbury Hall, but not yet.

“I get the impression there are several items that are not taken care of, so I defer signing until the attorneys settle the questions; I want it settled before I sign,” said First Selectman Joe Borst Tuesday during a public hearing.

On the table that night was a draft lease between the town of Newtown and the Glen Mountain Holding Co LLC. The 30-year lease is for land located at a building known as Woodbury Hall, the 44-page document states. A copy of the lease is available at the first selectman’s office at Edmond Town Hall.

Several points are still in negotiation between attorneys for the town and the holding company, however.

Seated side-by-side Tuesday and facing the Board of Selectman, town attorney Dave Grogins spoke to the holding company’s attorney, Fran Pennarola: “There are only two issues open,” he said, quickly looking back to Mr Borst. How many parking spaces and how the lease amount of $760,000 would be paid. Although the two items still remaining to be settled take up just a sliver of space in the lengthy lease, Mr Borst was firm. “Until they’re in black and white and settled, I won’t sign.”

“I’m OK by that,” said Selectman Paul Mangiafico, who had taken his time articulating the flaws in arguments against the lease agreement during a public hearing held earlier in the evening (see related story). Prepared to sign, however, Selectman Herb Rosenthal asked the lawyers, “Will the issues be finalized within a week?”

Yes, they agreed.

Among themselves the three-man board discussed the soonest possible date to place the lease back on the agenda. As of Thursday morning the first selectman had not announced the date for another meeting on the issue.

The following evening at Wednesday’s Fairfield Hills Authority meeting, Chairman Bob Geckle’s frustration was clear. “It’s a lesson learned,” he said. The lease should be nearly done at the time of a public hearing, which is required per state law, he said. “This is a lot of heartburn because of a draft lease.”

The town will face the same scrutiny for every lease negotiated for sites at Fairfield Hills, Julia Wasserman noted. The former state representative, Mr Geckle, and Mr Reed agreed that they needed a better plan, especially considering the large turnout at the public hearing Tuesday, when residents posed more than an hour’s worth of questions to the authority members and town officials.

Noting that more information could be immediately available at future hearings, Mr Reed said, “If we recognize a lease is a good idea,” then getting financial details, for one, “is vital.”

Ms Wasserman warned that the flood of questions will likely “come again with the next proposal,” as the Fairfield Hills property is developed. Mr Geckle feels that residents were in front of the selectmen with questions Tuesday for reasons other than curiosity. Looking at Ms Wasserman and Mr Reed, he said, “I have a different view. I think the questions were uninformed, ludicrous …”

Ms Wasserman cut in: “But you’ll face [the questions].” She explained, “If it’s ignorance or they are uninformed or don’t care to be informed and they ask for information in the future, you’re going to see the same thing,” Ms Wasserman said.

Drawing a distinct bottom line, Mr Reed stressed coming prepared and anticipating any financial or other questions that could arise. “The best defense is a good offense,” he said.

“But [the information] has been vetted,” authority member Amy Dent said, noting that all developments for the former state hospital property come up at meetings, for one. “How else do you get it to the public?” she asked.

By the end of the authority meeting members agreed that the planning subcommittee would sit down in coming days to talk about future public hearings for any other properties that may attract prospective tenants.