Date: Fri 30-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Amaral-property-purchase

Full Text:

Finance Panel Backs Amaral Property Purchase

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

The Legislative Council's finance committee will recommend to the full council

that it support the acquisition of the Amaral property on Elm Drive using

Iroquois pipeline funds.

The board voted on the issue at its meeting Wednesday night.

The 13-acre property was recently put on the market by brothers Daniel and

Marcus Amaral. The town was given right-of-first-refusal on the lot, which

lies adjacent to Dickinson Park, just north of the tennis courts.

The Amarals originally asked for $400,000 and have stuck to that figure

despite requests from town officials to have the price lowered. The Amarals

have reportedly already received an offer from a developer looking to build a

life-care facility, similar to Pomperaug Woods in Southbury.

While supporting the purchase, the finance committee made it clear that the

town should not immediately go ahead with any plans to develop the property in

any way. According to the committee, it simply means that the town can not

miss the opportunity to acquire the property.

Last week, several residents showed up at a meeting of the Legislative Council

to voice their support for buying the land. They suggested the land be used

for ballfields.

The Board of Selectmen voted in favor of buying the land earlier this month.

The finance committee also voted to recommend using Local Capital Improvement

Plans (LoCIP) grant money from the state to contribute $85,000 to the Edmond

Town Hall roof replacement project.

The Town Hall Board of Managers was originally due to receive $25,000 from the

town to resurface the building's flat roof. It then discovered that the slate

on the front roof must also be replaced, and came back asking for an

additional $60,000.

The council is scheduled to make final votes on the two issues at its meeting

next week.