Newtown’s No. 1 Priority

To the Editor:

In 1998, Newtown High School’s first expansion project was completed for $28 million. Town leaders were aware of the impending overcrowding.

In 2005, NHS was 88 students above capacity. The High School Space Needs Committee recommended Option-C HS expansion to add 48,000 square feet. The Board of Finance voted to delay the project by one year in their Capital Improvement Plan to stay within their ten percent debt cap.

In 2006, new projection numbers demonstrated that adding 48,000 square feet would soon be inadequate to meet the future enrollment needs and NHS was placed on warning status from NEASC.

The architects have been working to develop the “acceptable” expansion project since 2004 and have produced at least 12 renderings of the project. This project has been thoroughly vetted! Voters turned out in force in April to vote on the expansion and by a margin of 1,336 votes demonstrated that the expansion project is the number one priority for Newtown.

I was optimistic that the addition would be completed before 500 eighth graders move into the high school next year. Unfortunately, the bids came in $6 million (~$4 million after state reimbursement) over the approved amount due to the spike in oil prices, the global supply/demand issue for steel and other raw materials, and many low bids being disqualified. Now, eight portable classrooms are being requested for $635,000 for next year.

While it is uncertain in this volatile global economy that rebidding would result in savings, it is certain that rebidding would result in a nine-month delay with nine months of cost increases. The project designed and approved cannot be built for $38.8 million without a minor or a major redesign. The project will be delayed as much as two more years and there will be additional costs associated with state reimbursement loss, architectural fees, escalation, and costs associated with meeting new state laws (such as LEED specification requirements for future school building projects).

This 70,000 square feet project has proven that delaying capital projects result in significant cost escalation. In 1999, New Milford built their brand new high school (280,000 square feet) for $48.7 million and Ridgefield also passed the $90 million “bundle” to fix all their schools.

If affordability is the argument to vote No to sending the additional appropriation to the voters in a referendum, then I would recommend the BOF and the Legislative Council members begin to apply the same amount of scrutiny to all projects that impact the taxpayers. For example, the Board of Selectmen decided to spend an additional $3.5 million without voter consent, using the Fairfield Hills Authority ordinance as a method to circumvent the voters, rather than using the existing 2001 Fairfield Hills bond money already approved by voters to fund the demolition of Greenwich Hall for the construction of the permanent parking plan for the Newtown Youth Academy. Neither the BOF nor the LC were involved because the current ordinance keeps them out of the decision process. Due diligence is required for all capital projects.

After due diligence review of the $6 million, I would hope that the Legislative Council will allow the voters to decide the fate of the number one priority of Newtown.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                September 10, 2008