Date: Fri 18-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Fairfield-Hills-Council-OPM

Full Text:

Council Votes To Accept Fairfield Hills Property Offer

PAGE ONE

w/photo

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

The Legislative Council Wednesday authorized the acceptance of the state's

offer to hand over 22.6 acres and two buildings on the campus of Fairfield

Hills Hospital.

There was a suggestion to hold off on a decision until the town had a better

idea of what it was inheriting. In the end, however, the council voted, 8-1,

to accept the "gift" before the state changed its mind.

As part of the deal, the town stands to receive the 32,000-square-foot

Watertown Hall on Old Farm Road and the 7,000-square-foot garage/fire station

on Trades Lane. The offer also includes the rolling field between the two

buildings, the nearby baseball fields, as well as several smaller lots.

The state's offering would finalize a six-year-old deal it made with Newtown

over Garner Correctional Institute.

Last week, both the Board of Selectmen and Planning & Zoning Commission

endorsed the acceptance of Hartford's offer.

State Rep Julia Wasserman said she has spent hundreds of hours in Hartford the

past few years trying to wrap up the agreement with the state's Office of

Policy and Management (OPM).

"This land agreement has got to be finalized," she told the council.

Mrs Wasserman warned the council about a bill recently proposed in Hartford

that could give the state legislature the right to decide what should happen

to the property at the former mental hospitals in Newtown and Norwich.

"If it passes we're in trouble," she said. "There are a lot of politics there

that make me anxious for the state to meet its obligations to the jail

agreement."

Council member Jack Rosenthal suggested the council hold off on any decision

for 30 days, pointing out that he has received no guarantee from the state

that the buildings are free of any major asbestos problems or that the land

being offered is uncontaminated.

"What I've heard is all hear-say. There's not one document, not one note or

shred of evidence," he said. "Let's delay this, hire a firm to examine the

soil, asbestos and water concerns. If those three questions are answered, then

by all means we should accept the offer."

Mr Rosenthal reminded the council of the actual agreement, which states that

if the town accepts the land, the state will assume no liability for any

pre-existing conditions.

However, council member Joe McGowan felt the town shouldn't let the Fairfield

Hills property slip through its fingers.

"It's here today. There's a possibility it may not be here tomorrow," he said.

Resident Chris Spiro, a candidate for first selectman, notified the council

that Cochran House at Fairfield Hills was once closed for two years for

asbestos abatement. He said the major renovation work to convert Watertown

Hall into a municipal building would cause serious disturbances to the walls.

"If you thought the library asbestos cleanup was bad, wait until you see what

it takes to cleanup Watertown Hall," he said.

Heidi Winslow, a member of the P&Z, said she's concerned that by taking the

land now being offered, the town will no longer be entitled to any of the

remaining land on the campus.

The town does still stand to be leased some 45 acres near Commerce Road from

the state for economic development, according to Richard Nuclo, director of

OPM's assets management division.

"I've been to the governor who said the 45 acres at Commerce Road will go to

the town. It will probably be a lease with an option to buy," he said.

Local attorney Bob Hall urged the council to hold off on accepting the land

until after the November election. He fears accepting the offer will create

too much of a temptation to use Watertown Hall as Newtown's seat of

government.

Resident Mike Snyder agreed with Mr Hall, but added that turning down the

offer of all that valuable open space would be foolish. Quoting Will Rogers,

Mr Snyder said, "They ain't makin' this stuff anymore."

Selectman Jim Mooney chaired the Municipal Space Needs Advisory Committee,

which recommended that the town consider using Watertown Hall for office

space.

"Let's not make the mistake that's been made before and say, `Well, let's wait

and do this and do that.' Ten years from now they'll say, `Do you believe they

didn't accept this land,'" he said.

Following the council's vote to accept the state's offer, Mr Spiro could only

wonder what the future holds in store.

"History will show if we have another Ruwet-Sibley here," he said, referring

to the tractor dealership converted into the much-maligned Town Hall South

during the 1970s.