Llodra Wants Open Space Funding Back In The CIP

By John Voket

Considering Newtown can realize as much as a 300 percent return on investment for every acre of land it acquires with the purpose of blocking residential development, First Selectman Pat Llodra had no qualms about lobbying the Board of Finance to consider supporting her recommendation to commit $3.5 million for open space acquisition in the next Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

That suggestion was one of several Mrs Llodra made during a CIP presentation during the last finance board meeting in mid-September. An aggressive open space acquisition program that the town funded in recent years was prioritized off the CIP during the last year, but the first selectman wants to garnish enough support for the initiative to see capital funding in the amount of $1.5 million in Year 3 of the CIP, and $1 million each in Years 4 and 5

During her presentation, she told the finance board that Newtown has a total of 1,860 acres designated as open space, and has negotiated conservation easements on another 370 acres. She said the goal of the Land Use Agency is that 21 percent of Newtown’s land area be designated as open space.

“Our inventory so far is at 14 percent, including Newtown Forest Association property,” she told the board. “And it is anticipated that several large parcels of land will come available during these years.”

Mrs Llodra also floated a plan she hoped would appeal to both members of the finance board who are adverse to bonding “rolling stock,” like commercial heavy equipment for the Highway Department or town-owned fire apparatus, and those who see bonding as an acceptable way to finance these vehicles, which sometimes have a service life of 20 years or more.

During her presentation, she pointed to the Fire Commission’s request to replace four tanker trucks and a pumper in the next five years. As a result, Mrs Llodra said she favors a combined strategy of bonding and use of capital nonrecurring funds.

Her idea, which is supported by Finance Director Robert Tait, is to place $100,000 in capital nonrecurring for five consecutive years beginning in 2010-2011, for a total of $500,000. Then, in 2014-2015, replace two tankers using $400,000 in bonding with the balance of the estimated $300,000 cost coming from the savings amassed and earmarked in the capital nonrecurring account.

Similarly, in 2015-2016, the first selectman suggests replacing the single pumper and one remaining tanker using $800,000 through bonding, with the balance from the capital nonrecurring fund.

The balance of the $16,125,000 requested for public safety projects, Mrs Llodra said, would include an addition to Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company’s substation, budgeted at $375,000.

She explained that the addition is needed to house newer designed fire equipment. According to the fire commissioners, the current engine housed at the substation is 18 years old and will need to be replaced, but the Sandy Hook fire company will subsidize the purchase of the new engine. 

Mrs Llodra said she hopes to see this project completed in Year 3 of the CIP.

She also floated the idea of financing a new police/communications facility costing approximately $12.8 million. She told the finance board that a space study demonstrates that a new and larger facility will be necessary to serve police and communications needs when Newtown is fully built-out.

But there is also an idea that the new communications center might serve in some regional capacity with other neighboring communities subsidizing ongoing operations in exchange for Newtown handling those communities’ emergency communications and dispatch functions.

Mrs Llodra recommended earmarking $800,000 in Year 5 of the CIP for engineering, architect, and design work. In the interim, and long before the bonding is requested, the first selectman said a municipal facilities study will inform the decision regarding construction of a new building.

The eventual construction of a new Newtown Hook & Ladder Company headquarters is also in the new CIP. The town has already committed $500,000 in fiscal year 2010-2011, she said. And the overall request is for an additional $1 million could be gifted in two stages of $500,000 each year in the next two years of the CIP.

The finance board should begin deliberating CIP recommendations by month’s end.