Date: Mon 30-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

town-office-space

Full Text:

$20 Million Sticker Shock: Paying For New Town Facilities

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Everyone knew the town was going to need an overhaul of its municipal space.

The lack of space and poor condition of the buildings made it inevitable. The

only question still unanswered was the cost.

Legislative Council member Karen Blawie, author of the unofficial "Blawie

List" of probably capital expenses "down the road," gave it a shot back in

June, estimating it would cost somewhere between $6-10 million, not including

the cost to repair the Hook & Ladder firehouse.

She was half right.

The project could end up costing the town somewhere in the neighborhood of $20

million, according to Rusty Malek of Kaestle Boos Architects. He was hired

this past summer to conduct the town's all-important municipal space needs

study.

"It is a big number, but we spent so little on our buildings for so many

years," noted Legislative Council chairman Pierre Rochman. "It's really not

surprising. It's long overdue."

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said the estimated cost took him by surprise,

but he does not expect the project to cost that much in the end.

"He (Rusty Malek) was giving us a worst-case scenario on cost. I don't expect

we'll be presenting the town with an $18 or 19 million figure," he said.

"Things could be modified."

The "Blawie List" had come up with $40 million worth of expenditures. It must

now be updated. That figure now jumps to about $50 million, including $20

million for municipal space needs, $15 million for a new fifth- and

sixth-grade school, a million dollars for the purchase of the Queen Street

property and $14 million worth of other expenses.

Finance Director Ben Spragg's list is even more alarming, going as high as $60

million-plus. Mr Spragg's list includes the possible purchase of Fairfield

Hills.

"The last list I had was $66 million," he said.

So what does this translate into as far as the tax rate? It's too soon to

tell, Mr Spragg said, but it should have a significant impact.

By the year 2005, Newtown taxpayers may very well look back at the previous 10

years and see $100 million worth of capital improvements. Much of that will

have simply addressed Newtown's critical needs associated with the town's

growth.

But Mr Rochman believes some of these municipal space costs could have been

avoided.

"We've already wasted a lot of money on Town Hall South," he said. "We didn't

address that building properly years ago. We must plan and stop reacting."