The Board of Selectmen approved the municipal side of the 2027-2037 Capital Improvement Plan at its October 5 meeting.

The selectmen made one amendment to the town side of the plan for year 2, 2028-29, moving $175,000 from special funding for locker room renovations at Newtown Community Center over to general bonding. This means that the entire project cost of $350,000 will be paid for by town bonding, rather than splitting the cost between town bonding and the Community Center's fund balance.

Kinga Walsh of the Community Center Commission came before the selectmen to ask that projects such as the locker room repairs and plastering and tiling at the pools be moved to be bonded by the town because the projects are leftovers from value engineering when the community center was first built, and the Community Center Commission primarily wants to use the remainder of its fund balance from GE for operational expenses so that the taxpayers are not burdened with those costs in the regular budget.

Walsh said the Community Center was being treated differently because of its fund balance.

First Selectman Bruce Walczak expressed concerns with the affordability of the capital projects, and didn't feel like there was a "forever understanding" between the town and GE on how the fund balance was supposed to be used.

Selectman Paul Lundquist said there should be a set of guidelines concerning the community center's fund balance so things would not be "controversial."

Selectman Jeff Capeci didn't feel the cost should be borne by the community center since they were "existing issues" from the construction of the building and "not wear and tear."

In the end, the BOS voted 2-1 with Walczak against moving the $175,000 to bonding.

The selectmen's review does not include the Board of Education capital plan, which will notably include planning for a new grades six through eight middle school.

In 2027-28, the town is planning $13.5 million in capital spending.

Finance Director Glenys Salas noted during her presentation that the goal for the first selectman's half of the capital improvement plan is debt moderation, no new bonded debt in fiscal years 2030 and 2035; fleet modernization, capital lease financing to replace aging vehicles; level funding, stable and predictable impact for taxpayers; and asset stewardship, essential repairs across community and recreational facilities.

The 2027-28 plan for $13,575,598 includes the following, paid for from six different sources:

Capital Financing ($2,390,000): replacement of fire apparatus, $1,430,000; and three public works trucks, $960,000.

Capital & Non-Recurring Fund ($105,000): Town match of grants, $60,000; and Land Use sidewalk program, $45,000.

General Fund ($2,286,000): Safe Streets 4 All planning and demonstration grant project, $46,000; and capital road program, $2,240,000.

Grants ($1,194,000): Safe Streets 4 All planning and demonstration grant project, $184,000; and capital road program, $1,010,000.

Special Revenue Bonds ($980,000): Newtown Community Center multipurpose room upgrades, $130,000; Parks & Recreation Treadwell Artificial Turf and scoreboard replacement, $850,000.

Bonding ($6,620,596): Edmond Town Hall electrical upgrades, $1,750,000; Emergency Management Center building upgrades, $270,000; Fairfield Hills, building remediation and demolition, $300,000; Land Use open space preservation, $200,000; library exterior upgrades, $587,000; Newtown Community Center new HVAC system, $1,225,000; Parks & Recreation, Treadwell Park lighting, $350,000; Public Works, animal control renovation, $348,000; Public Works generator, $300,000; Public Works window restoration, $250,000; and Public Works bridge restoration, $1,000,000.

Changes to the current version of the 2027-28 plan from last year's include:

Reductions: Fairfield Hills demolition reduced to remediation of remaining buildings, $2.2 million; NCC exterior shade structure moved to FY29, $270,000; Rail Trail pushed to FY33, $1,400,000; Treadwell playground pushed to FY29, $500,000; Fairfield Hills Trail pushed to FY32, $485,000; and Regional Training Facility pushed to FY29, $425,000.

Additions: Preliminary engineering for sidewalk program, $45,000; Supplemental funding for Community Center HVAC, $1,225,000; Treadwell Lighting & Artificial Turf, $1,200,000; SS4A grant accounted for, $230,000; window restoration, $250,000; new grapple truck for DPW, $270,000; other project cost increases to $332,500; and WSA subsidy for capital, $40,596.

The Board of Selectmen and Board of Education will present their respective CIPs to the Board of Finance on October 13, and the BOF will then have until November 9 to review and make changes. The Legislative Council will be presented the combined CIPs by the Board of Finance on November 18, and will have until January 20 to approve a final plan.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.