Finance Bd Supports

NHS Expansion

By John Voket

In the end, Board of Finance members put the fate of a high school expansion, its highest spending priority, squarely in the hands of those requesting it. After authorizing a package of capital projects topping $90 million, the finance board chair spoke for his panel, indicating supporters share the responsibility of promoting the project to taxpayers prior to its own referendum, as well as in the annual budget vote.

“First, we have all received many e-mails from supporters of the [high school] project,” said finance chair John Kortze following the vote moving the 2008 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the Legislative Council.

“We have no doubt that those letter writers will support the addition,” he continued. “It’s the people that don’t write letters we need to equally concern ourselves with, and suggest that’s the group the town needs to recruit to vote positively.”

The 4-2 vote, following nearly two hours of questions and deliberation, recommends a five-year capital project plan including $38.8 million to complete the Newtown High School expansion project as proposed by the school district. The approved plan includes artificial turf for the school’s stadium, a new gymnasium, track improvements, and the costs to bring all sporting facilities into Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

Architects have been engineering the high school renovation and preparing construction documents since taxpayers authorized the first $2.2 million installment of the $41 million project in 2007. In the coming months, school district and contract personnel will be engaged in carrying the construction phase proposals through a meticulous timeline with hopes of breaking ground this summer.

While the January 24 Board of Finance meeting was populated by many school supporters and district personnel, another smaller contingent was on hand imploring the board to protect plans for a new animal control facility. Canine Advocates President Virginia Jess read from a prepared statement detailing the current substandard conditions she sees at the town’s existing dog pound.

Her comments were echoed by resident Barbara Field, who also said a new pound should remain in the CIP.

During the early part of deliberations, the finance board agreed, acknowledging that a suitable site for a new animal control facility was yet to be determined. The final plan resolved with the $750,000 for an animal shelter being retained, but moved from 2008 to 2010 with the possibility of moving back up the timeline when a site is confirmed.

After learning the town failed to reach consensus on a planned recreation and senior center, the board reacted to a letter from First Selectman Joseph Borst by dropping $6.2 million from the CIP, also adding in a $530,000 fire truck, and adding another $850,000 for an emergency steam pipe repair at Newtown Middle School.

Citing a recommendation from acting school superintendent Thomas Jokubaitis prior to his departure last December, Mr Kortze moved a reduction to additional middle school requests from $32 million to $20 million. In its final vote, the finance board also agreed to move middle school renovations out in the timeline to commence in 2011 and continue through 2012.

Those renovations are expected to include a full roof replacement, and additional enhancements to the heating, cooling, and air handling systems (HVAC).

During discussions on the renovation, finance member Martin Gersten maintained that the project could retain all of its academic components, while saving taxpayers money by forgoing the gym, track, and field renovations. But newly appointed Superintendent Janet Robinson maintained the need for the entire package of improvements as presented.

Ms Robinson reminded the group that virtually all athletic facility improvements would benefit the entire town, not just those supporting high school athletic concerns.

“The community needs these fields,” the superintendent said. “I support the project in totality.”

Speaking in support of the academic side of the high school plan, which accommodates a maximum of 2,200 students, the superintendent said failure to break ground this summer will mean the existing population of seventh graders will push the high school even further past its capacity.

Mr Gersten then moved the high school project appropriation with a $2 million reduction, which failed at a 3-3 tie.

Finance member Joseph Kearney said he empathized with school supporters but insisted the town must strike a capital expenditure schedule that maintains a self-imposed ten percent debt cap on borrowing. Fellow board member James Gaston concurred.

“Our job is to try and fit your requests into a financial [plan] for the town,” Mr Gaston said.

In the final vote to pass the CIP as proposed it was Mr Kearney who, siding with chairman Kortze, cast the swing vote to move the plan forward.