Council Approves $53.7 Million Five-Year Capital Plan

By Jan Howard

The Legislative Council on Wednesday voted 9-0 to accept and approve as presented by the Board of Finance the $53.7 million five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for fiscal years 2004–05 to 2008–09. Three council members were absent.

The Board of Finance approved the plan in December. The plan has as its number one priority for the 2004–05 fiscal year a proposed $500,000 plus waterline connection to Middle Gate School.

During public participation, several parents urged the Legislative Council to approve the plan, which would lead the way to the Board of Education submitting a financial request for the project. A request for funding for any capital improvement project would need approvals from the Board of Finance, Legislative Council, and voters. It was pointed out that funding for proposed projects could be rejected by any of those bodies.

Parent Amy Cameron said the waterline connection was the “right and responsible thing to do” and that providing bottled water was a “BandAid.”

“We will be back and expect it to be done,” she said.

Parent Peter Vodola said a waterline connection would provide a permanent solution to all issues that have been raised regarding the water system at the school. “We’re not acting out of hysteria,” he said, noting parents are aware there are no dangerous levels of coliform bacteria, but that there are other issues that exist at Middle Gate, such as the need for a new well, replacement of water tanks, and expiration of a permit for a uranium backwash system.

He said consideration should be given of the costs for improvements of the existing system versus those for the waterline.

Council member David Brown noted the CIP is only a plan. “In agreeing to it we are not appropriating one cent to it.” He said the plan does not preclude agencies from adding to that plan.

“The need doesn’t stop,” he said. “It’s not cast in stone. It’s a heads up of projects we have to address in the next five years.”

Joseph DiCandido, chairman of the council’s finance committee, said there was no objection to any items in the CIP, but there might be objections to the cost of a project. He said his committee had questions about the cost of the waterline extension.

The CIP is a well thought out plan, Mr DiCandido said, noting his committee accepted the priorities as presented in the plan.

Mr DiCandido said while he feels there are some items that should not be included in the CIP, the plan “highlights some of the major projects that will be done.”

Fran Pennarola noted the CIP is “a work in progress.”

Member Michael Iassogna noted that not all the items in the plan would be funded and that there would be changes, such as recent cuts made by the selectmen to the amount earmarked for roads and other projects in the 2004–05 fiscal year budget currently before the Board of Finance.

Joe Borst said the plan indicates the source of funding for each project. Capital projects in the CIP would be funded through the budget general fund, bonding, school budget, and school and other grants.

Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze spoke about the effect of capital projects on debt service and the guideline that annual debt service should be no more than ten percent of total expenditures.

“It is important to understand the way we could look at every project,” he said. “We use the term wish list, but there are items that are lower in priority. We boil it down to more pertinent projects.”

He noted that over the last six to seven years the town has provided 85 to 90 percent of what has been proposed. That debt, he said, “will be with us for 20 years.”

“We are at the point now where we are adding to that pile every year,” he said, and proposed projects would begin to push the upper boundaries of debt service guidelines.

“We’re doing all we can, but it’s getting more and more difficult because the needs are not going away,” Mr Kortze said.

To help the town raise additional funds, Mr Borst noted residents should urge legislators to push for continuance of the act that allowed towns to collect a larger real estate conveyance tax. That act is scheduled to end in August.

In other business, Selectman Joe Bojnowski updated the council members on the withdrawal of Tunxis Management from Fairfield Hills (see related story).

The Legislative Council also voted unanimously to approve a resolution concerning the sale of tax liens for unpaid taxes; to accept from the State of Connecticut property at Deep Brook, Commerce Road property, four acres on Oak View Road, and five houses on Mile Hill South; to accept the audit report for the year ending June 30, 2003; and appointment of the auditor for the year ending June 30, 2004.

Council members also voted unanimously to authorize and direct the Board of Selectmen to call a special town meeting to consider and act upon a resolution entitled “Resolution with respect to the authorization, issuance and sale of not exceeding $43,040,000 town of Newtown general obligation refunding bonds,” a financial procedure.