Sports Advocates Encouraged By Field Financing Plan

By Steve Bigham

Barbara Kasbarian was feeling a sense of relief Monday night following the Board of Selectmen’s budget meeting. Despite more than one million in cuts to the Parks & Recreation budget, the town is still expected to get its much-needed playing fields.

Instead of paying for the fields all at once, the town will borrow $2 million to be earmarked for fields. That money is included in the budget under debt service and will be presented to the town as part of a $50 million capital bonding package later this year. That package will also include major capital expenses such as the purchase of Fairfield Hills, the construction of a 5/6 school and major renovations to Edmond Town Hall.

“I’m not recommending that we not get new fields. If the debt service is approved, Parks & Recreation will get one million dollars per year for the next two years for field improvements,” First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said. “Funding through debt service is just a different way of doing this.”

The first selectman’s announcement came as a surprise to Parks & Recreation supporters who were under the impression that Mr Rosenthal had simply recommended that the proposed field funding be put off for another year. Mr Rosenthal said he planned to recommend those cuts last week. However, he never indicated that he still planned to come up with the money through an alternative funding measure.

“I did not know about the $2 million debt service until tonight. I feel very good,” Mrs Kasbarian said.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the public will approve this large spending package. However, the first selectman hopes there is enough in the package for enough people to get it passed.

“If everyone has something in it then there will be a lot of people supporting it. There’s something in there for everyone,” Mr Rosenthal explained.

The $1.5 million Parks & Recreation budget, which was approved Monday, does include $550,000 for the development of the Amaral property for ball fields, as well as $15,000 for water fountains, a $20,000 extended cab pickup truck, one new maintenance employee at about $30,000 and numerous other items. The selectmen did cut out the proposed $400,000 storage garage.

Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman Larry Haskel said he was pleased with the selectmen’s decision. However, he knows there is a long way to go before the Parks & Recreation Department is assured of proper funding, especially in the area of new fields.

“This is the battle, not the war,” he said.

Sensing a battle would take place, several Parks & Recreation supporters showed up Monday. They too were unaware of Mr Rosenthal’s plan to pay for fields outside of the normal operating budget. Last week’s Bee article announced Mr Rosenthal’s recommendations for cuts. But since the first selectman did not indicate his plan to borrow money for fields, the story alarmed many people.

We thought fields were going to be a greater priority this year, they said.

“I think it’s time the town take a good hard look at what it’s spending its dollars on,” said Alan Helfer. “We need fields.”

Of course, there were the normal comments regarding the lack of field space and over-usage of some fields. They echoed previous comments made by parents and other local sports enthusiasts.

“To cut out over one million dollars before the Legislative Council gets to see it shows to me a tremendous lack of faith in the council. Let the council do their job,” noted resident Ed Marks.

Mr Haskell said Parks & Recreation needs to build four fields over the next four years and nine fields over the next five years. Additional field sites include Queen Street and Oakview Road.