Vote Against Secrecy, Vote No

To the Editor:

Hidden in the Selectmen’s budget under line item “01580 Debt Service – FFH Lease” is $259,750 to pay principal and interest (6 percent) to the Newtown Savings Bank on a $3 million loan made to the owner of the Newtown Youth Academy to demolish Greenwich Hall and construct permanent, shared parking for the NYA, baseball stadium, town hall and future recreation/senior center. The signed lease agreement (Article 1A.2, 6/28/08) commits the town to provide the parking, but the Fairfield Hills Authority ignored this obligation, preferring to use the Fairfield Hills bond money for their town hall project.

Why are citizens repaying the loan of a private citizen? The town declared all parking would be shared when P&Z approved the plan for the NYA in September 2007, requiring 241 spaces at the rear of the campus for town use. The next step should have been a call for competitive bids by the town to know the true costs of the 241 parking spaces. Why didn’t this happen?

The previous administration decided that all Fairfield Hills property would be leased and not sold. Private developers would hold the leases, and thus contractors would not be working for the town. In this manner, the town could circumvent the Federal Davis-Bacon Act, known in Connecticut as the “Prevailing Wage Law.” This law is designed to assure that municipalities use competent workmen to perform first class service and avoid shoddy workmanship by out-of-state or out-of-country persons.

How was the total cost of $3 million determined? Without competitive bidding, there is no way to know the true costs. How much is Claris Construction, the contractor for the NYA, charging for managing demolition of Greenwich Hall, parking lot construction, materials or labor? The selectmen didn’t bother to call a town meeting and ask citizens to approve a new bond issue for $3 million more for Fairfield Hills. They agreed to repay the second year’s costs of the 20-year private loan by hiding the recurring principal plus interest in 01580 of their 09-10 budgets. Subsequently, the Department of Labor ruled (2/5/09) the town must obey the “Prevailing Wage Law.” What will the final cost be?

The town’s actions are deceptive and must not be tolerated. I have always supported the school budget, but I will be voting No for the 2009-10 proposed budget. As usual, town leaders are playing on the fears of school supporters and the PTAs, hoping for their support out of fear of further cuts to the school budget. Make no mistake, by voting for the selectmen’s budget you are condoning and supporting secret deals and approving $3 million more for Fairfield Hills. Imagine what the school system could do with $3 million!

But voting No is not enough. You must call Legislative Council members and the selectmen now and let them know why you will vote No.

Let’s put a stop to secrecy, deceitfulness and evasiveness.

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                               April 8, 2009