Date: Fri 01-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

panel-town-offices-site

Full Text:

Cascella Appoints Panel To Find Possible Town Office Sites

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

First Selectman Bob Cascella has formed a five-person search committee charged

with investigating possible sites for the permanent relocation of Town Hall

South employees.

"We're going to move ahead and make some decisions as to where we need to go,"

Mr Cascella said this week.

The site-investigation committee will be chaired by Selectman James Mooney and

will include Legislative Council Chairman Joe Mahoney, Legislative Council

member Jack Rosenthal, Town Engineer Ron Bolmer and Administrative Aide Carole

Ross.

Mr Cascella said he had not planned on having to find a new location so soon,

but had to expedite the process once his $840,000 plan to renovate the

building was turned down by voters in August.

The Main Street building, which houses the police department upstairs and

land-use agencies, building offices, and the parks & recreation and health

departments downstairs, has for years been ravaged by flooding and general

deterioration.

Mr Cascella said the committee will explore the town's four options: finding

an existing building at Fairfield Hills; acquiring property at Fairfield Hills

to construct a new facility; acquiring land elsewhere to construct a new

facility; and expanding the existing town buildings.

Of course, with winter approaching, a temporary location for the 20-plus

employees at Town Hall South needs to be found. According to Mr Cascella, the

town will likely use a spot a Fairfield Hills for about 18 months, but he is

still awaiting a lease price from the state's Department of Public Works.

Mr Cascella, who has been unable to find any other appropriate office space in

town besides what's at Fairfield Hills, hopes to be out of Town Hall South by

early to mid-December.

The state has already informed the town that it may lease Watertown Hall,

which is not part of the central campus. Mr Cascella said Watertown Hall will

lie to the north of the bypass road, which is expected to be constructed this

spring.

The town is still owed 25 acres from the state as part of the deal that

brought Garner Correctional Institution to town. Mr Cascella said there is a

possibility a new facility could be constructed on that land.

As far as acquiring land elsewhere in town, Mr Cascella said he is still

considering an offer made by Bee publisher R. Scudder Smith to build on his

property just to the south of Town Hall South.

The first selectman said another option would be to expand the existing town

buildings, including Edmond Town Hall, which has grown short on space over the

years.

The committee is expected to meet as needed and report monthly to the Board of

Selectmen. A final report will be presented to the board at its regular

meeting January 27, leaving time, if needed, for money to be put in the budget

for architectural renderings.

Mr Cascella said he is also open to suggestions and comments from townspeople.