Date: Fri 20-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

legislative-council-space-need

Full Text:

Council Gets A Preview Of Municipal Center Issues

BY STEVE BIGHAM

To date, Newtown's Legislative Council has had no role in the town's efforts

to rectify its need for more office space. The council won't officially become

involved until later in the process -- when the issue of spending money comes

up. However, the issue did make its way on to the council's agenda Wednesday

night for discussion.

"This may seem a little premature for the council to be hearing, but it is

important because of all the money being spent," said council member Melissa

Pilchard. "Anything you propose will have to be funded with other things."

The town's Municipal Space Needs Committee won't be making proposals anytime

soon. The committee was recently given a list of 13 different scenarios on

ways the town can improve its municipal office space shortage. It is expected

to meet with architects from Kaestle Boos Architects next Tuesday to further

discuss the individual needs of each building. Its job is to determine which

of these scenarios best fits the needs of the town.

Space needs committee member David Valerie pointed out the best scheme should

address both the town's office space needs and the issue of overdue

maintenance that has been deferred in the past. Last month, the town learned

that Edmond Town Hall needs about $6 million worth of such maintenance work.

The 13 scenarios are wide ranging, suggesting everything from a major overhaul

to Edmond Town Hall to the purchase of the Gordon Fraser building on South

Main Street for office space. Some scenarios called for the demolition of Town

Hall South, while others suggested it be repaired. There has been some

preference toward building a new municipal center on Queen Street, although

town officials say all 13 scenarios need to be weighed.

This is expected to be an expensive project, although space needs committee

chairman Bill Brimmer said the estimated costs were worst-case scenarios.

Council chairman Pierre Rochman was concerned that the scenarios' estimated

costs, some of them as high as $20 million, did not include the costs of

"swing space." This would be required if an agency was forced to move into

temporary quarters during construction. He was also concerned that the study

did not take site acquisition into consideration.

Mr Valerie warned the council that this issue could become political with

certain factions feeling strongly about preserving municipal offices at Edmond

Town Hall and others who want the town to put up a new building.

"It will be preference driven," he said.

Council member Don Studley seemed a bit hesitant about the order of the

process. We may be putting the cart before the horse, he said.

"It seems there are some fundamental issues that we need to determine, such as

do we want all town offices together," he said. "Somebody should be making

these decisions before we look at all the scenarios."

These basic political issues need to be made soon, Mr Studley added. The broad

issue -- is the town center going to be located on Main Street or Queen

Street? -- needs to be answered, he said.

"Input from the public should be made and let that drive the committee," he

suggested. "I would hate to have you folks do all this work and then come to

us and have us say, `we hate it.'"

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal assured the council that the committee will not

be presenting more that two scenarios to the council, as some council members

had suggested.

"That's the job of the Board of Selectmen," he said. "I wanted the committee

to study all the options and come back with the one that makes the most sense.

I don't think our intention was to present the council with all 13 scenarios."

Council member John Kortze agreed, wondering why this issue was even before

the council at such an early stage.

"We have to have some idea of cost," Mrs Pilchard said.

Lisa Schwartz suggested a public forum to get a sense of what would be

acceptable to townspeople.

Mr Rochman reminded everyone of how important this issue is for the future of

Newtown.

"The direction we go with this will determine the character of Newtown for

some years to come. It isn't just dollars or cents. Changes to Edmond Town

Hall or Town Hall South could change the look on Main Street. These are

philosophical decisions that must be looked at," he said.

"We don't have to worry about Town Hall South losing charm," joked Will

Rodgers.

The municipal space needs committee will meet Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 5 pm in the

meeting room of the Cyrenius Booth Library.