Date: Fri 02-Jul-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Board-of-managers-town-hall

Full Text:

Board of Managers Feels Left Out Of Town Hall Planning

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers has been feeling a bit out of the loop

in recent months, and it isn't happy about it.

Members of the board that administers the town hall building say they were

never included in discussions leading up to the recently completed municipal

space needs report. That report calls for the construction of a

23,500-square-foot addition to the back of Edmond Town Hall. The $10 million

addition includes $3 million worth of renovations inside the existing

building.

"You all seem to be under the misconception that the Board of Managers had

involvement with the recommendations of the Space Needs Committee. This is far

from the truth. The ETH board was never advised," explained board secretary

Marie Sturdevant in a letter to selectmen.

But the ETH Managers did not show up at the selectmen's June 24 meeting simply

to complain, and they do not necessarily disagree with the report, though

according to Mrs Sturdevant the board never even got a copy of it. The board

was there mainly to express its concern with the overall condition of the

Edmond Town Hall building.

The board has plans to address the building's "deferred maintenance" needs,

and have already begun replacing outdated electrical and mechanical equipment.

However, the managers want to make sure their plans are compatible with the

town's before moving any further along.

"We have a five-year capital improvement plan, which we are following, but we

don't know what they have planned for us (in the report). Do we go forward or

not?" Mrs Sturdevant wondered.

In response, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal has scheduled a meeting next

Tuesday of both the Board of Selectmen and Board of Managers to iron out the

confusion.

"They don't want to start doing work that might be lost if we decide to put an

addition on," Mr Rosenthal said.

The first selectman believes the deferred maintenance issue has reached a

boiling point. "I don't know how much time we have. There are critical things,

such as mechanical and electrical problems, which can't be put off any

longer," he said.

Selectman Bill Brimmer, who also served as space needs committee chairman,

said he is prepared to work with managers in the best interest of Edmond Town

Hall. However, he was surprised by their allegations of being left out of the

loop.

"All groups had an opportunity to speak to us at any time. It was no big

mystery that we we're having meetings," he said. "The meetings were always

posted and, at the start, we mentioned to them that they could be involved."

Mr Brimmer said he is not interested in fighting with the Board of Managers.

"We want to do the right thing," he said.

In this case, the right thing involves determining the future of Newtown's

municipal space.

"Some of the things they are trying to do are critical, but it makes no sense

for them to spend money on things that we're trying to do," Mr Brimmer said.

Somewhere along the way, the town decided it would cover the cost of any

repair work to the building -- something that has been traditionally the

responsibility of the town hall managers. The managers, short on cash, say

they are more than happy to receive assistance from the town. Their only

request: tell us what you plan to do.