Date: Fri 14-Jul-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

chilc-care-Merryhill-FHH

Full Text:

DAYCARE CENTER GETS A ONE-YEAR REPRIEVE

BY KAAREN VALENTA

The Merryhill Child Care Center has been given a reprieve from the state until

July 1996.

The state's Office of Policy and Management decided this week to allow the

daycare center located at 49 Queen Street on the Fairfield Hills Hospital

campus to remain open through the next school year even if the mental hospital

complex is closed earlier as planned.

First Selectman Bob Cascella said he was contacted by Richard Nuclo, director

of the policy, development and planning division of the Office of Policy and

Management, on Monday and told that the center's lease would be renewed for

another year.

"It's particularly important to the town and to the children who attend

Merryhill that it be able remain open at least for another year," Mr Cascella

said. "In the meantime, a master plan will be developed for the whole campus.

An implementation oversight team is being formed and will be in good shape by

fall."

Therese Hychko, director of the center, said she was relieved to learn that

Merryhill wouldn't have to close when its lease expires in September or when

the hospital closes, tentatively scheduled for early next year.

"We didn't want to enroll anyone for fall if we were going to have to close

before the end of the school year," Ms Hychko said. "Now we will be able to

call everyone on the waiting list and try to fill up our classes."

The reprieve will give the center's board of directors time to at least look

into what other space might be available in town and how much it would cost to

lease or to buy, she said. "But long term, we'd like to stay right where we

are. It's a nice, small, homey kind of place and we like it that way."

Ms Hychko said she was told by Mr Nuclo to keep in touch with local

representatives on the Fairfield Hills Implementation Oversight Committee

which is being formed by OPM to monitor future uses of the hospital campus.

"It could be Mr Cascella or State Rep Julia Wasserman, who chaired the

Fairfield Hills Task Force," Ms Hychko said. "OPM hasn't told us yet who it

will be."

Mr Cascella said that under the legislation, the speaker of state House of

Representatives will select Newtown's representative on the oversight

committee. "I have sent him a letter requesting that I be appointed," the

first selectman said. The minority leader of the house will appoint a local

state representative to serve on the committee.

Mr Cascella served on the task force, chaired by Rep Wasserman, which

concluded its year-long study with a list of recommendations on future uses of

the property. One of the task force's recommendations, that open space at the

campus be preserved by being transferred from the Department of Mental Health

to the Department of Agriculture was part of legislation sponsored by Mrs

Wasserman which passed both houses of the state legislature this spring.

Mr Nuclo said the state would like to lease all of the buildings on the

property to a single tenant but, if that is not possible, will consider

leasing out portions of the campus facilities. He said he expects the

transition of Fairfield Hills from its current use to future uses to take two

to five years.

Ms Hychko said that as the transition takes place, OPM will better be able to

decide whether Merryhill can stay longer. Recent publicity about the potential

closing of the only daycare center in Newtown which accepts infants has

already made a difference, she said.

"They're aware that we're here, that we're needed and that we want to stay,"

she said. "I don't think the battle is over but at least we've achieved the

first part and know that we can stay until June."