Date: Fri 24-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Space-Needs-Committee-office

Full Text:

Office Space Panel Files Its Report

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

The Municipal Space Needs Advisory Committee completed its mission Tuesday

night to explore how best to address the town's growing need for office space.

Its final report is scheduled to be presented to the Board of Selectmen Monday

night.

In the report, the committee recommends that the seat of Newtown's government

remain at Edmond Town Hall. It was also suggested that town employees at Town

Hall South be moved to either Watertown Hall on the campus of Fairfield Hills

Hospital or to a building to be built by Newtown Bee publisher R. Scudder

Smith on a piece of property he owns at the corner of Route 302 and Main

Street.

The report advises the selectmen to include funding in the 1997-98 budget to

hire an architect or engineer to determine the "special relationships between

departments and to determine the necessary square footage to meet the town's

needs now and into the future."

The committee was told to not consider money in forming its list of options.

Last fall, First Selectman Bob Cascella created the five-person search

committee to investigate possible sites for the permanent relocation of some

town employees. For years, Town Hall South has been ravaged by flooding and

general deterioration, while space at Edmond Town Hall has become limited.

A temporary move by Town Hall South workers to Canaan House, also on the

Fairfield Hills campus, is expected to take place in early February.

Mr Cascella said in late October he had not planned on having to find a new

location so soon, but had to expedite the process once his $840,000 plan to

renovate Town Hall South was turned down by voters in August.

Mr Cascella said Wednesday the Board of Selectmen would review the committee's

final report and then determine whether to budget funds for an architect to

review the matter.

The Municipal Space Needs Advisory Committee included Selectmen Jim Mooney,

Town Engineer Ron Bolmer, Legislative Council member and former first

selectman Jack Rosenthal, Legislative Council Chairman Joe Mahoney and

administrative aide Carole Ross.