The Legislative Council (LC) approved the town’s five-year 2022-23 through 2026-27 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) at its January 19 meeting, with only a few amendments.

A chiller unit replacement at Reed School intended for the year one has been removed while officials gain more information on it; bonding for the Hawley School ventilation project has been reduced to be made up for by American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds; and adding money to the Edmond Town Hall Parking Lot Improvements project.

At the January 5 council meeting discussing the BOE (Board of Education) side of the CIP, Councilman Ryan Knapp expressed concern over a few new projects that have been added to year one. BOE Facilities Director Bob Gerbert stated that the BOE took this year as an opportunity to overhaul their entire plan.

There were a number of projects that were added, a notable amount of projects that were eliminated, and some projects that were “revised significantly in a favorable way.” The BOE wanted to eliminate those projects in which they felt were more “wants” rather than “needs.” The ones added in year one are “projects with a high priority.”

Gerber said the Head O’ Meadow Boiler Plan was moved up to year one due to the boilers dating back to the original construction of the school in 1977. The High School’s HVAC Replacements are because the units date back to 1996.

Reed School’s Chiller Project was added, also because they date back to the school’s original construction in 2002. Knapp’s main concern is why had they not heard of these projects before now.

At the January 19 meeting, Councilman Phil Carroll asked whether the Reed Chiller project could instead be retrofitted instead of replaced. Board of Education Chair Deborra Zukowski responded that based on the research done by Gerbert, it was recommended that these units would not be suitable for retrofitting and in terms of priority it is purely financial.

It is more of an “age-driven concern” and could potentially be an issue, she said.

Council Chairman Jeff Capeci said that in terms of the CIP regulations, anything added to year one should be strictly scrutinized by the Legislative Council — he asked Zukowski how the BOE factored that into their decision. Zukowski responded that when Gerbert was working with other Town leaders, things like the high school’s rooftop units were of great concern.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said that the chiller is not an elective thing and needs to be done at some point.

“We can decide to wait one or two years, but then may be taking a chance on having an emergency,” said Rosenthal.

Councilman Matt Mihalcik said that if they are looking at these projects in terms of age, then he wondered why they weren’t on the CIP years ago.

Rosenthal said he gives Gerbert, who started in 2019, a lot of credit for the work he does and he did not do this with intent to surprise anyone. While the first selectman agreed that the chiller should have been making its way on the CIP long before now, he does see this as a “step in the right direction” and “we’re in a much better place now than we were three years ago.”

Capeci said he would have liked these items to have been on the CIP to allow them to make “their natural progression in the process.” He said that with the addition of the new building inventory work group, he hoped this will “eliminate any further surprises down the road.”

The LC voted 9-3 to remove the Reed School chiller replacement project, with Democrats Michelle Embree Ku, Dan Honan, and Chris Gardner voting against.

For the Edmond Town Hall parking lot project, Rosenthal said he had been advised to increase the amount for the project from $550,000 to $600,000, so they are “not limited” should they come across any issues with the drainage pipe. Remediation and demolition of the old firehouse is contained in that cost. The LC voted unanimously in favor of the amendment to increase the amount.

Lastly, the LC voted unanimously to reduce by $1 million the Hawley HVAC project bonding, to be made up with ARP funding.

The amended CIP passed unanimously.

CIP Annual Specifics

The 2022-23 through 2026-27 CIP includes, for the town side Year One, capital road program spending of $3 million, with $250,000 bonded; a bridge replacement program of $400,000, all bonded; the replacement of fire apparatus at $500,000, all bonded; the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, $1.7 million, with $600,000 bonded and $1.1 million coming from the state; the cleanup of 28A Glen Road, $650,000, all bonded; town match of grants at $200,000; Fairfield Hills building remediation and demolition, $2 million, all bonded; Edmond Town Hall parking lot improvements at $600,000, all bonded; and library renovations, replacements, and upgrades of $350,000, all bonded.

For the Board of Education, the first year of the CIP has $2.5 million slated for the Hawley Elementary School ventilation and HVAC renovation project, with $1.5 million bonded and $1 million from ARP funds; $424,500 for a boiler at Head O’ Meadow Elementary School, all bonded; $850,000 for HVAC work at Newtown High School, all bonded; and $760,000 for turfing the rear field at the high school, $460,000 bonded with the rest coming from other sources.

The total for 2022-23 is $14,934,500 in spending, with $8,334,500 of that bonded.

For the year 2023-24, which would become Year Two of the plan, the town is planning capital road program spending of $3.05 million; a bridge replacement program of $400,000, all bonded; multipurpose building electrical/mechanical/HVAC work of $413,000, all bonded; a Newtown Municipal Center roof remediation and replacement of $1 million, all bonded; the replacement of fire apparatus at $1.085 million, with $800,000 bonded; town match of grants of $200,000; library renovations, replacements, and upgrades of $570,000, all bonded; Fairfield Hills building remediation and demolition, $1.5 million, all bonded; and Lake Lillinonah park improvements of $500,000.

For the Board of Education, the second year of the CIP has $4 million slated for the Hawley HVAC project, all bonded; $750,000 anticipated for continued boiler, water heater, and other projects at Head O’ Meadow; $450,000 for HVAC improvements at Newtown Middle School; and $850,000 for further HVAC work at NHS.

The total for 2023-24 is $14,768,000 in spending, with $10,733,000 of that bonded.

For the year 2024-25, which would become Year Three, the town is only planning to include capital road program spending of $3.1 million; $50,000 for a truck washing station; and town match of grants of $200,000.

The total for 2024-25 is $3.35 million, with no planned bonding. Rosenthal said the town’s government bodies elected to take that year off from any new bonding costs.

For the year 2025-26, which is Year Four of the new plan, the town plans to include capital road program spending of $3.15 million; bridge replacement spending of $400,000, all bonded; the replacement of fire apparatus for $800,000, all bonded; Fairfield Hills building remediation and demolition, $2 million, all bonded; Truck Washing Station of $550,000, all bonded; Public Works site and salt storage improvements, $50,000; Edmond Town Hall building renovations of $550,000, all bonded; town match of grants, $200,000. Treadwell artificial turf and lighting at $800,000, with $250,000 bonded and $550,000 coming from other sources; and the rail trail project at Batchelder Park for $1.4 million, with the entire cost coming from grants;

For the BOE, the CIP’s fourth year has $8 million estimated for HVAC improvements at NMS.

The total for 2025-26 is $17,900,000 in spending, with $8 million in new bonding.

Lastly, the current year six, 2026-27, in the ten-year plan moves up to Year Five of the five-year plan, and will include capital road program spending of $3.2 million; town match of grants, $200,000; Public Works site and salt storage improvements of $600,000, all bonded; Fairfield Hills building remediation and demolition, $2 million, all bonded; transfer station improvements of $400,000, all bonded; the replacement of fire apparatus, $820,000, all bonded; the bridge replacement program, $400,000, all bonded; and Fairfield Hills water infrastructure, $750,000, all bonded.

The fifth year for the BOE has $1.1 million set for window replacement at Middle Gate Elementary School and $200,000 for bathroom renovations at the school. That same year also has $500,000 set for replacing a chiller at NHS, and $450,000 for reroofing projects at NHS.

The total for 2026-27 is $11,020,000 in spending, with $6,870,000 in new bonding.

Reporter Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.