Date: Fri 12-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Borough-sidewalk-study

Full Text:

Sidewalk Study Gets Finance Panel Backing

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Legislative Council's finance committee voted Monday to help the borough's

sidewalk plans get underway with a recommendation that the town pay $10,500

for an engineering study.

The committee did so reluctantly, however, and suggested the borough try

finding alternative funding methods. Melissa Pilchard even wondered why Ron

Bolmer, the town engineer, wasn't lined up to do the specification work.

"I can't understand why we pay the town engineer an $80,000 salary, and we're

going out for a civil engineering study," she said.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said Mr Bolmer could do the sidewalk work, but

would have to pull himself off his already existing road engineering work,

forcing the town to pay an outside engineering firm.

Betsy Kenyon, co-chair of the sidewalk committee, said Mr Bolmer said last

year that he did not have the time to conduct the study.

Finance committee members also suggested the borough contact Rep Julia

Wasserman to see if she would be able to find state aid to help reduce the

estimated $200,000 sidewalk construction cost, of which the town is expected

to pay $125,000 through Local Capital Improvement (LoCIP) funds. LoCIP funds

are made up mostly of state sales taxes, so there is no added cost to the

local taxpayer, at least not directly.

Finance committee members said they are in favor of the sidewalk plan, but

pointed out that several large expenses are already facing the town.

"We're really just asking for $10,000 for sidewalks," said Jay Maher, co-chair

of the sidewalk committee. "I don't think that's too much for sidewalks. I

think the money is well spent."

Council chairman Pierre Rochman said that saying the cost is only $10,000 is

not a valid argument because it is actually seed money for a $200,000 expense.

The borough has said it would contribute $15,000 to the cause, with the

remaining $60,000 expected to be raised through donations from shopping center

tenants, residents and organizations.

Members of the Borough Board of Burgesses hope to make the center of Newtown

more pedestrian-friendly and are proposing the addition of 3,500 feet of

sidewalk within an inner-loop of the borough.

The new, five-foot wide concrete sidewalks would be built along the southern

part of the eastern side of Main Street, along the northern side of Glover

Avenue, the western side of Queen Street, and then up Church Hill Road on the

northern side. These added sidewalks would connect with existing sidewalks on

the upper part of Main Street.

Developer Joe Kasper's Newtown Shopping Center renovation plans include the

construction of a sidewalk in front of the commercial center. The borough

sidewalk, to be built sometime later, would likely connect with the shopping

center walkway.

Last year, the Bob Cascella-led Board of Selectmen recommended the engineering

study to ensure that the estimated figure is at least in the ballpark. There

are some obstacles for the sidewalk to cross, including the bridging of

streams and the steep slope in front of the Shepard residence at the corner of

Main Street and Glover Avenue.

Mrs Pilchard said the project should be a municipal project with the town

having total responsibility for spending.

The study will be conducted by the Center for Engineering, Inc, of

Wallingford.

The Legislative Council must still approve the $10,500 transfer at its meeting

next week.