Date: Fri 16-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

council-Cascella-capital

Full Text:

Cascella Jousts With Council Over Capital Spending

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Each year, the state gives Connecticut towns money to help defray the costs of

any capital improvements.

This year, Newtown's Local Capital Improvement Plan (LoCIP) grant from the

state will bring the town's total fund to more than $724,000, much of which

First Selectman Bob Cascella wants to use this year to pay for several capital

projects he has deemed vital.

Some of the projects were originally included in the town's budget, but others

were not in the plan and need the approval of the Legislative Council. Those

include a $200,000 assessor's map, $125,000 for sidewalks around the borough,

$180,000 for the removal of fuel storage tanks at the town garage, $18,000 for

a new tennis fence at Dickinson Park, $13,000 for police security cameras and

$3,300 for shelves in the town clerk's office.

LoCIP funds may be spent by the selectmen for items already identified in the

town's capital improvement plan. Items not in the plan require action by the

Legislative Council.

Mr Cascella went before the council last week requesting that those items be

authorized for LoCIP funding, but appeared stunned when he didn't receive

immediate approval. Council member Melissa Pilchard moved that no action be

taken and that the entire LoCIP program be considered under the finance

committee's new rules and regulations for the capital improvement plan. Under

the new plan, the finance committee must more carefully evaluate the request

for funding to see how it fits into the town's overall needs.

Mrs Pilchard's motion was seconded by John Kortze, the finance committee

chairman.

This irked the first selectman, who pointed out that both the $25,000 for a

new roof at Edmond Town hall and $70,000 for sewer hookups of municipal

buildings had already been addressed during budget deliberations. Mr Cascella

said the council was "betraying" him.

(Council members later grumbled about how Mr Cascella treated them like

"school children" as he walked around the room in opposition to the motion.)

"My confusion was that during the budget, the Legislative Council said to the

Board of Selectmen, `Will you absorb the roof and sewer hookups in the

budget?' I did as requested. And now this has to go to the finance

committee?," he explained.

Mr Cascella admitted earlier this week that, at the time, it seemed as if the

council was throwing more "red tape" on the issue, but in retrospect, he

realized it was simply following the new rules for capital improvements.

Pointing out that this is not a new concept, Mrs Pilchard said she had similar

conflicts over LoCIP appropriations with Zita McMahon when she was the first

selectman from 1989-1993.

"Bob wants to spend the whole thing. I think it's a very strange coincidence

that he wants to spend all this money right before the election," she said.

"There would only be $90,178 remaining in LoCIP. That's all we'd have for the

entire 1997-98 fiscal year."

Not so, Mr Cascella countered, pointing out that not all that money would be

spent. Projects such as the borough sidewalks and the assessor's maps are on

hold, leaving a considerable amount left in the LoCIP fund.

"I'm trying to put a roof over Edmond Town Hall, hook up to the sewers and

look out for the environment. Mrs Pilchard is holding up much needed projects.

I thought she had the town's best interest in mind," he said.

Things settled down at Wednesday's finance committee meeting as members

approved the sewer hookups for LoCIP funding. The committee will meet again to

discuss the remaining items. At the meeting, Mr Cascella urged the committee

to make funding for the removal of the underground storage tanks priority

number one.

"That's a big environmental issue off the town's back," he said.

Only items or projects costing $74,000 or more will be considered under the

town's new capital improvement plan regulations.