Date: Fri 21-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Edmond-Town-Hall

Full Text:

Panel Recommends Town Hall Addition

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Municipal Space Needs Committee Monday officially recommended that the

town build a 23,500-square-foot addition to Edmond Town Hall. The larger

building would house all town offices, as well as a suite for the Board of

Education.

Doubling the size of the historic Main Street building would address Newtown's

municipal space needs well into the future, noted committee chairman Bill

Brimmer (see related story). However, adding on to the building raises the

question: What is the future role of the Town Hall Board of Managers, a group

that was formed to oversee the building by a special act of the State

Legislature back in 1933?

"I do not expect the Board of Managers will be able to fund the maintenance of

a larger building," noted Bob Hall, a member of the Space Needs Committee. "We

all understand the town is going to have to maintain the building."

And, as finance director Ben Spragg points outs, maintenance has been a major

problem in recent years as the Mary Hawley Trust Fund simply has not provided

enough money to keep the building in tip-top shape. The Board of Managers has

been coming to the town for more and more money each year.

The town will also be responsible for paying for the $10 million renovation

project, which includes $3 million worth of deferred maintenance costs (work

that must be done to the existing building above and beyond the renovation).

Some residents believe it might be time for the Board of Managers to surrender

some of its autonomy in administering the building.

"There are some things we'd need to consider," First Selectman Herb Rosenthal

said. "If the town spent all that money, should the Board of Managers still

have the same authority?"

Mr Rosenthal said it is an issue that must be resolved before some people will

support a larger Edmond Town Hall.

"Maybe they can run the public functions and the town can run the office

functions," suggested Bob Hall, a member of the Space Needs Committee.

All six members of the Board of Managers are elected, so technically they are

as representative of the town's electorate as the Board of Selectmen.

"The Board of Managers was created after Mary Hawley built the building. We

don't have to go to the state legislature to change it, even though it was

created by a special act," Mr Hall said. "It's in the charter, but it can be

changed."

Others believe it would take more than unilateral action by the town to change

the role of the Board of Managers.

Mr Rosenthal said the managers have performed well over the years. It has just

gotten too expensive to support the building without the help of the town. The

Mary Hawley Trust Fund yields little more than $30,000 per year and the board

spent most of its money on the town hall's recent roof project.

The Board of Managers has indicated its support for the Edmond Town Hall

addition. However, according to vice chairperson Marie Sturdevant, members

have not yet discussed how the addition might change its role as a board.

"We don't have anything in place. We'll need to talk to the town fathers," Mrs

Sturdevant said.

Longtime board member Sarah Mannix said Newtown should think long and hard

before doing away with the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers. "Anything

that's not broken, don't fix it," she said. "It has worked this long; what

makes you think it won't work anymore?"

In deference to Mary Hawley, Mrs Mannix believes it is important that her will

be carried out.

Mrs Mannix spent nearly 35 years on the board, almost as much time as her

close friend Betty Lou Osborne.

Current Board of Managers members are Edgar Beres (chairman), Marie

Sturdevant, David Brown, Jay Gill, Sandra Motyka and William Honan.