The Council Needs

To Take On FFH Spending Issues

To the Editor:

I have asked the Legislative Council to consider creating a task force on Fairfield Hills. One purpose of this new task force would be to generate an independent assessment of how the town should proceed spending the remaining bond money at Fairfield Hills.

The Board of Selectmen and the Fairfield Hills Authority have led the effort to redevelop Fairfield Hills. The last Legislative Council decided to take a hands-off approach to the project because it did not have formal oversight. However, the authority is out of funds to both construct the proposed new town hall and provide permanent utilities hookup and parking for the Newtown Youth Academy and Hawley Realty lease agreements. As a council member from District 2, I believe that it is important for the Legislative Council to engage in this issue. It is only a matter of time before the council will be asked to approve additional funding for Fairfield Hills to address this problem.

My understanding is that there is $10.69 million remaining from the original 2001 bond issue for Fairfield Hills. The authority is studying various options to construct the currently proposed $10.7 million town hall and undertake measures to provide parking and utility hook-ups, as well as demolition of Greenwich Hall. Among these options are having the town undertake expensive temporary measures or having the owner of the Newtown Youth Academy construct parking and undertake building demolition. The town would repay these costs over time, with interest.

I have formally requested the authority look at the cost benefits of deferring construction of the proposed town hall and using the $10.69 million toward constructing the proposed permanent parking and utilities infrastructure for Newtown Youth Academy and Hawley Realty, as well as demolish Greenwich and Litchfield Halls. No objective evaluation can be made without considering the option of using existing bond funds for parking, demolition, and infrastructure needs.

A drive into Fairfield Hills to see the progress being made in constructing the Newtown Youth Academy makes clear the common sense approach of finishing this portion of the campus by installing permanent parking and demolishing Greenwich and Litchfield Halls before trying to proceed with construction of a new town hall.

As for the currently proposed town hall, the independent report prepared by Douglas Brennan for First Selectman Borst points out several potential flaws with the current design, such as the need for a new roof and the cost of construction. According to Brennan, the current plans will cost $400 per square foot, which is more than double industry standards of between $150 and $200 for this type of building. He believes this town hall project could cost at least $14 million. I have formally provided my concerns to the Public Building and Site Commission, which is reviewing this town hall project.

Sincerely,

Gary Davis

23 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                             May 28, 2008