A $20 Million Giveaway

To the Editor:

The Fairfield Hills Authority is poised to approve the selectmen’s marketing plan for the commercialization of Fairfield Hills. The proposal dated December 18, 2006 states:

“The FFH Authority is seeking a qualified development firm to become the designated developer…” The plan is “comprised of three components: (1) existing building renovation and tenanting,… (2) new buildings…, (3) the opportunity to propose a lease arrangement to the Town for its Town Hall… (a)…renovated Bridgeport Hall.” The buildings will be leased for a term of 30 years. The developer must make one payment up front that is an aggregate of all rent due for the entire term of the lease in one payment. The authority will lease the buildings “as is.”

(1) For a one-time payment, a developer can lease: Newtown Hall for $860,000, Woodbury for $1,585,000, Stratford for $425,000 — by my calculations $4 per square foot. Total revenue from FFH: a one-time payment of $2.87 million to the authority, not the general fund.

That’s all, folks. A one-time payment of $2.87 million to be paid to the authority. No, not a yearly payment; a one time payment! No more lease money for 30 years!

(2) “The authority proposes a lease term of 30 years with a one time lease payment of $20 per square foot of the gross floor area of new office buildings.” Thus, the authority would receive $600,000 for a new 30,000-square-foot building. The authority will demolish buildings in the way.

(3) Developer to renovate Bridgeport Hall and lease it back to the town to use as a town hall. Do they really mean that?

Developers will need land for 1,000 to 1,5000 cars (10–15 acres). The selectmen’s master plan allows construction of a parking garage.

It gets worse. “Business incentives may include a one-time subsidy by the town for all or partial costs of qualified physical site improvements…also…consideration for business incentives related to…a large amount of personal property.”

One senior baseball field will be constructed for $526,291. As I understand the agreement, the FFH bond issue designated $850,000 for seven new playing fields, but the Park and Recreation Commission decided a senior baseball field was priority one. Nothing for the girls.

The website newtown-ct.gov “Vacant Industrial Zoned Land” shows 619 acres already zoned for business. In 2002, HMA Consultants calculated Newtown’s available Non-Residential Development Potential (in square feet) as 1.59 million to 1.79 million. We don’t need to add FFH to this inventory.

In the selectmen’s plan, the winners are: North American Realty, followed by builders, and the necessary lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, etc to serve the newcomers.

The losers are: We The People — a lost opportunity for a community center, a new gym, playground, senior center, cultural arts center, and a future school site. Remember November!

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                         January 9, 2007