Rosenthal Supports Referendum­—

Budget, High School Going To Voters As Proposed

By John Voket

Taxpayers will have their say on both a $105 million town budget proposal, as well as a $38.8 million high school funding request when they go to the polls April 22. The Legislative Council, April 2, voted unanimously to send the high school resolution forward to the Board of Selectmen, which meets on the issue Monday.

Council Chairman William Rodgers said immediately following the unanimous council endorsement of the high school expansion as proposed, that he received assurances from Democratic Selectman Herb Rosenthal that he will support sending the issue to referendum.

Mr Rosenthal and First Selectman Joe Borst both confirmed to The Newtown Bee that they would support letting the people make the final call on what would be the largest single municipal expenditure in town history.

Even if Republican Selectman Paul Mangiafico opposes sending the high school expansion to referendum Monday, affirmative votes by the other two selectmen guarantee voters will have an opportunity to consider the $38.8 million appropriation request.

The council moved through discussion and action on both the high school and overall municipal budget business in relatively short order after hearing about 30 minutes of public comments.

Richard Serbagi, who volunteers with the high school orchestra as a conductor, implored council officials to send the expansion plans back to the drawing board in the hopes of adding more space for music programs.

“When I went in to conduct them, I couldn’t even see half of the orchestra. These magnificent children of this town need more room,” he said, adding that the Board of Education should honor the students who devote hours of time to play well.

PTA representative Mary Ann Jacob, speaking on behalf of Sandy Hook, Reed Intermediate, middle, and high school organizations, reminded council members that architects project that the minimum cost to delay the high school expansion for one year will approach $2 million.

Advocates in the audience reflected the sentiments of all the project supporters on the council. Council Vice Chairman Francis Pennarola kicked off discussion after presenting the motion, saying it was time to move ahead on the high school expansion.

“The case has been made,” Mr Pennarola said. “We have heard overwhelming support from voters at our meetings.”

Recalling he was in the first class to occupy the 1997 high school addition, Democrat Chris Lyddy said the expansion is not just for students, but for the entire community. Jan Brookes, a newly retired Newtown High School teacher, said the expansion was called for three years ago.

“It’s important to support the whole project.” Ms Brookes said. Patricia Llodra concurred.

“Education is more than classrooms,” Ms Llodra said. “This is one of the most important decisions the community will make for some time.”

Joseph Hemingway strongly advised supporters to go out and vote to fund the expansion as proposed, but warned them not to pit the high school against a town hall development at Fairfield Hills.

“There are a lot of people, including myself, who support both,” Mr Hemingway said. “If you make people think they have to pick one over the other, they may pick the cheaper one.”

Po Murray called for her fellow council members to prove to the community the project has unwavering council support by voting unanimously on the appropriation. But her request could not be met by several councilmen, including Chairman Rodgers.

“It’s an easy decision for me to vote for a significant high school expansion. But I can’t in good conscience support this particular project,” Mr Rodgers said. Finance Committee Chair Joseph DiCandido said he would also vote against the plans as proposed, saying he would like to see an expansion dedicated to “optimum educational requirements,” versus so much spending on “extra-curricular activities.”

John Aurelia concurred, saying it was not a good time to expend nearly $4 million in additional costs for gymnasium and track and field renovations. Gary Davis disagreed.

“This is a long-term solution,” Mr Davis said. “The high school is the most pressing issue facing the town.”

Jeff Capeci said he believes the town will eventually need the capacity it is building for today. And Dan Amaral acknowledged that while the community is facing “tough economic times,” he would support the project.

“All in all, it’s for our future,” Mr Amaral said. “For me it’s for our grandchildren.”

The measure passed 9 – 3.

Budget Deliberations

Following a brief recess, Mr DiCandido briefed the council on discussions and action proposed by the Finance Committee one day earlier. On Tuesday, April 1, that committee received reports from all the other council subcommittees, and after much deliberation, decided to support the school budget as proposed, while cutting an additional $441,000 from the general government budget.

Mr Rodgers asked about the rationale behind cutting an additional chunk from an already refined town-side proposal. Mr DiCandido said after many motions to affect higher cuts to designated budgets, the committee ultimately made a “political decision,” to cut about 1.5 percent more from the 2008 overall increase, and to let the Board of Selectmen decide where those cuts will fall.

“[The thought was] if we reduce the budget now, it stands a better chance of approval,” Mr DiCandido said.

Mr Pennarola and Mr Aurelia both took issue, saying they did not want to see further reductions coming from the public works line.

“Public works has already been raided more than it should have,” Mr Pennarola said.

Before moving the overall budget to a full vote, Ms Murray requested to amend the town side of the proposal, cutting $136,219 from the Fairfield Hills Authority, $97,000 for technical infrastructure at the new municipal offices, reducing the police budget by $100,000, and the highway department’s overlay and drainage budget by $177,000.

Calling for Ms Murray’s amendment to be seconded, all eyes turned to her fellow Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) running mate Gary Davis. But Mr Davis said, “I’m not going to second it.”

Failing to receive a second, the amendment died.

Mr Hemingway admonished Ms Murray following the action, accusing her of “pitting the Fairfield Hills Authority against the education budget.” Ms Llodra said a $441,000 cut was “not enough to send a message to taxpayers.”

Ms Murray replied that she worked hard to achieve her recommendations.

“People are playing political games,” Ms Murray said to her fellow council members. “If $441,000 is insignificant, why not reinstate it to the education budget?”

The vote to cut the $441,000 went down 10-2 with Mr DiCandido and Mr Amaral supporting the measure. The full budget vote then received the same reception, with the same two council members opposing the final proposal.

With that vote, the Board of Selectmen was directed to call a town meeting, which was expected to move the budget directly to referendum. That means if the April 22 budget vote occurs as scheduled, taxpayers will be asked to endorse or defeat a historic spending package of $105,464,444.

High School Expansion

During the second public comment portion of the meeting, with only a half-dozen residents and officials remaining in the audience, Board of Education Chair Elaine McClure announced to the council that it will be possible to cut the proposed high school expansion appropriation and bring it back for a second referendum if the initial $38.8 million appropriation request fails in a related referendum vote, also set for April 22.

This information was contrary to previous reports, where school officials stated the April 22 vote was the last chance to approve an expansion project this year. Officials and supporters, up to now, said a failed vote would delay the project for another one to two years.

Ms McClure said if the first proposal failed, her board would likely cut a track and turf field bid alternate to achieve substantial savings before recommending a second referendum attempt.

But Mr Rodgers countered that “with value engineering, you can direct a lower number and direct where to find it in the process [of construction].”

“I urge you if not publicly, than to privately think about cutting more than just the bid alternates,” Mr Rodgers said.

Town Registrar of Voters and Commission on Aging alternate LeReine Frampton also spoke, encouraging council members to make department heads on both the town and school side look hard to find additional areas where savings can be achieved. She cited the town’s recent move to use a postage vendor that is expected to save more than ten percent of mailing costs, and hoped the school district would consider joining in the initiative.

“Maybe the savings could go to [funding] computers,” Ms Frampton said. While she believes most budgets are already cut close to the bone, Ms Frampton said regular public discussions of even nominal cost savings, and a willingness for both the school district and town to share cost saving ideas, would go far to enhancing taxpayer confidence in the town government.