Date: Fri 26-Mar-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Selectmen-Fairfield-Hills

Full Text:

Town Hall Expansion Plan May Await Fairfield Hills Decision

BY STEVE BIGHAM

In April, the municipal space needs committee is expected to formally

recommend a 23,000-square-foot addition be built on to the back of Edmond Town

Hall.

Committee chairman Bill Brimmer said his panel felt this was the best option.

However, that plan may be put on hold as the town remains undecided on whether

it will purchase the $12 million Fairfield Hills property. Newtown's seat of

government -- at least parts of it -- could end up at Fairfield Hills. Until a

decision is made, the proposed Edmond Town Hall addition -- already opposed by

some -- appears headed to the back-burner.

"We won't know if that is a viable option until this summer," Mr Brimmer said.

"We could build a new building, instead. The plan may turn out to be a little

bit different."

That is good news to some Newtown residents who opposed the Edmond Town Hall

addition plan from the start. An addition to the building does not fully

address Newtown's growing needs, they say. Parking is a problem and an

addition to the building would provide no room for further expansion. Cramming

all town offices onto a site not suitable for such a large use would be a step

backwards for the town.

Thomas Draper of Taunton Lake Road is among those residents who would like to

see town hall on the Fairfield Hills property. Like resident Ruby Johnson, Dr

Draper envisions town offices being in the three main building on green near

the former state mental health hospital's main entrance.

Sometime in July or August, the state is expected to give the town

right-of-first-refusal on the Fairfield Hills property. The town will then

have 45 days to express interest and another 60 days to negotiate a final

price. Until them however, a solution to Newtown's municipal space needs will

have to wait.

"I think it would be wise to delay taking action until later this summer,"

said First Selectman Herb Rosenthal.

Edgar Beers of the Town Hall Board of Managers is in favor of the town hall

addition. He also believes the town should consider using the Hook & Ladder

building as an annex. The town has considered building the fire company a new

facility and demolishing the old one.

This week, Mr Beers reminded residents that provisions of Mary Hawley's trust,

which subsidizes the operation of the town hall, state that certain offices --

including first selectman, town clerk and judge of probate -- must remain at

Edmond Town Hall.

According to Mr Brimmer, the town will need to put more than $3 million into

the existing town hall building which is in need of repair and code update

work.

"That's even if we decide not to add on to the building," Mr Brimmer said.

Mr Rosenthal said each of the four potential private developers of Fairfield

Hills have indicated an interest in providing some land on the 186-acre site

for schools, municipal space, etc at no charge or minimal charge to the town.

In February, 1997, some town employees were forced to move out of a flooded

Town Hall South into "temporary" quarters at Canaan House, a massive

institutional building at Fairfield Hills. Twenty-five months later, they are

still there and still uncertain of the future of their work space.