Date: Fri 30-Jun-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: AMYD

Quick Words:

pgA-6-Hawley-School-addition

Full Text:

ARCHITECT SUGGESTS CHANGES TO HAWLEY PLANS

B Y A MY D'O RIO

The proposed Hawley School building project initially seemed simple.

For around $1 million, the school could get a connector to the temporary

classrooms by the field, an improved parking lot with more spaces, an enlarged

library moved from the second to the first floor, new administrative offices

and windows replaced.

As initially conceived, this would be the first of a couple of building

projects. A second phase, to be done sometime in the future, would create a

new front lobby next to the new offices and include an elevator to make the

school handicap accessible. The second phase has been estimated to cost around

$1 million as well.

However, now that the architects are actually designing the first phase of the

building project, they have a few suggestions and presented them Tuesday to

the town's building committee.

The suggestions complicate what was supposed to be a simple project.

Rusty Malik, the project's architect, told the committee that he would be

remiss not to present another alternative that he believes provides more

substantial improvement to the building for just a little more money.

He said the first phase involves little state reimbursement from the district,

and does not accomplish much. Until a new front lobby is built in the second

phase, the office is still hard for people to find, he said. He added that the

town is building an expensive connector to a building that is not really meant

for long-term use.

½It is more of a band-aid,¾ he said. ½Meanwhile the band-aid is costing $2

million.¾

He said his idea involves doing both phase one and two together, a more

efficient and economical way to build. Plus, he said he would change the

design plans entirely. He suggested removing the temporary classrooms and

building on an addition to Hawley's north side. He said this addition would

provide a entrance for the public, with the office nearby. It would include a

new gym for the school, a library, and an elevator to make every program in

the school handicap accessible. The addition would also include an art room,

music room and a science classroom. In his ideal plan, the addition could also

include four extra classrooms. The classrooms, however, would be optional.

His plan still proposes to fix the driveway and replace the windows.

Depending on whether the classrooms would be built, the project is estimated

to cost around $2.3 million to $2.5 million.

The current building project is estimated to cost around $1 million, but

combining phase one and two, the cost is around $2 million. Phase one gets

little state reimbursement, but his entire project is eligible for state

reimbursement, he said.

Mr Malik will present a more detailed analysis of his proposal, as well as

more accurate cost estimates, at a Board of Education meeting Wednesday, July

5.

School Superintendent John Reed said Mr Malik was instructed to look at doing

some of phase two in the proposed building project because some residents have

requested the school be made handicap accessible as soon as possible.

GENNEWS

CASCELLA WILL ANNOUNC RUNNING MATE JULY 10

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

First Selectman Bob Cascella said this week he will announce the name of his

running mate for the November election on Monday, July 10, the week before the

Republican Town Committee meeting and caucus.

The Republican Town Committee meeting, which normally would be held on that

date, has been moved to Tuesday, July 18, and will be held immediately

preceding the caucus at which candidates are selected for various town posts.

Mr Cascella was forced to find a running mate when fellow Republican Selectman

James Smith opted last month not to run again.

½I've been meeting with some potential candidates who have expressed an

interest in running for selectman,¾ Mr Cascella said ½I'll be ready to

announce who my running mate will be on July 10.¾

Mr Cascella declined to say whether the candidate is a man or a woman but did

note that the candidate is employed. The position of selectman is unpaid; only

the first selectman is a paid position.

In a letter published in this week's Bee, Republican Town Chairman Russell

Melita and Vice Chairman Mae Schmidle urged Republicans who are interested in

running for office to contact them quickly.

½We don't have a dearth of candidates but we are open to consider anyone who

is interested,¾ Mrs Schmidle said. ½The candidates' committee is striving for

a little more openness, to involve more people.¾

½The Town Committee will meet and endorse candidates and only town committee

members can vote. But any registered Republican can vote at the caucus,¾ she

said.

Gary Fetzer, the lone Democrat on the three-member Board of Selectman, has not

yet announced whether he will run for a fourth term as selectman or will

attempt to unseat Bob Cascella for the first selectman's job. Mr Fetzer was

reelected selectman in November 1993, the year that his running mate, former

first selectman Zita McMahon, lost to Mr Cascella. The following November, Mr

Fetzer made a second unsuccessful bid for the State Senate.

½I haven't made up my mind yet what I will do,¾ Mr Fetzer said this week,

refusing to respond to reports that he may oppose Mr Cascella. ½I'm giving it

a lot of thought.¾

The next Democratic Town Committee meeting is scheduled for 8 pm, Thursday,

July 13, at Edmond Town Hall. State Atty Gen Richard Blumenthal will be the

guest speaker at the meeting. The Democratic caucus will be held the following

week.

GENNEWS

UNION, SCHOOLS SEEK TO SMOOTH RELATIONS OVER SECURITY ISSUES

B Y A MY D'O RIO

The local police union and School Superintendent John Reed plan to meet soon

to discuss police involvement at after-school functions and smooth over the

rough few weeks between them.

½It is the intent of the union to meet with Dr Reed and with the Chief of

Police to iron out any misunderstandings within the next few weeks and put an

end to any unnecessary bickering in the press,¾ said a union press statement.

Recently, the union requested the state police investigate the school system's

security set-up for extracurricular activities. Off-duty police were regularly

hired to provide security at these events until about a year ago, when the

district switched to private security, which is less expensive. The union

wanted to know if Rich Novia, the district's head of security, needed a

security license.

Last week, State Police Detective Ron Levesque concluded the investigation and

made no charges. He suggested, however, the schools change a payment practice.

The schools have been hiring Mr Novia to provide security at games and dances.

When extra security guards were needed, Mr Novia employed his wife and

relatives to help out, said Det Levesque. He then billed the schools through

his private investigation business.

State law says to run a security business, a security license is needed. Det

Levesque said he found Mr Novia and the school district set up the billing

practice to make school bookkeeping easier and did not understand it bordered

on breaking a licensing law.

Det Levesque suggested the schools, not Mr Novia, employ the security guards

in the future. Dr Reed said the district will comply with the suggestion.

Mr Novia said he is relieved the investigation is over, and hopes the schools

can work peacefully with the police in the future.

The union also seems conciliatory.

½It was never the intent to publicly attack or embarrass anyone in the press

by any member of this union, and it never will be,¾ the latest press statement

said.

In the statement, however, the union also said it still had ½concerns and

questions that remain unanswered.¾

Police Sgt Henry Stormer, the union president, could not be reached for

comment this week to expound upon the concerns and questions.