Date: Fri 24-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Fairfield-Hills-projects

Full Text:

Town Projects Are Stacked Up, Waiting For Fairfield Hills

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Someone recently likened Newtown's current fix to Tetris -- that Russian-born

computer game where, under immense pressure, players must juggle many

disparate shapes as they fall from above so they fit seamlessly when they

land.

As Newtown continues to grow, the need for new schools, town offices, a police

station, and ball fields seems to be falling out of the sky. However, as the

town awaits the fate of Fairfield Hills, these capital projects are being

backed up. And with time working against them, town officials are faced with

having to delay the projects before finally fitting them all together. One

wrong move could result in the whole thing going awry.

Just like in Tetris.

"It's hard to move forward on anything right now until we have all the pieces

together," noted First Selectman Herb Rosenthal this week. "The Legislative

Council has made it clear that it is not willing to fund any other projects

until we determine where Fairfield Hills is going."

Legislative Council chairman Pierre Rochman called the situation both

"maddening" and "frustrating."

"For us to spend money on capital projects right now would not be wise. But I

am very anxious to know which way we will go. Things are so up in the air

right now," he said.

And things are expected to remain "up in the air" for some time. Things

probably will not be resolved until next spring, at the earliest. The

selection committee (made up of town and state officials) must first decide

who is best suited to purchase the 186-acre campus at Fairfield Hills.

"I was hoping we would have resolved this sooner. It was supposed to be done

by early September," Mr Rosenthal said.

Part of the delay has been due to the state's inability to begin the

all-important environmental testing which will determine the extent of

hazardous materials in the building walls and underground. Most of the

buildings are believed to contain asbestos.

Three private developers have made their bids for Fairfield Hills, but the

town will ultimately have right-of-first refusal on the land and buildings.

Newtown will not be offered the land until a final developer is chosen. In the

meantime, all other projects are on hold.

Take, for example, the Board of Education's proposed 5/6 school. The

overcrowded conditions at the middle school have forced the school system to

push for another building. And most support the idea. However, all plans are

now in a holding pattern until decisions are made on where the school is going

to go. One developer, Becker and Becker, has proposed building the 5/6 school

for Newtown at Cochran House, one of the larger buildings at Fairfield Hills.

"This delay is understandable, but from a planning point of view, it's causing

us some problems. We're very anxious for this process to move ahead as

expeditiously as possible," said Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed.

The school board had planned to build the 5/6 school on a piece of town-owned

property near Watertown Hall. However, the Cochran House proposal put

everything on hold. Meanwhile, Newtown's school enrollment is up 5.1 percent

this year. Last year it went up 5.9 percent.

Dr Reed had hoped to have a school opened for the 2001 school year. However,

the delays have pushed things back. Does that mean portables at some of the

schools? Probably not, Dr Reed said; as long as the town is heading in the

right direction teachers and parents may be willing to handle a couple of

extra students on a temporary basis.

Mr Rosenthal said he is still not convinced that using Cochran House as a

school is the best way to go. He said the town will need to see at least a 25

percent savings over building new in order for it to go forward with the

proposed Becker and Becker school plan.

As for the town's need for municipal office space, that too is on hold. The ad

hoc municipal space needs committee has recommended a 23,000 square-foot

addition to Edmond Town Hall. It has also called for the renovation of Town

Hall South for the police department and the construction of a new fire

station for Newtown Hook & Ladder.

Selectmen and municipal space needs chairman Bill Brimmer called Newtown's

current state a "funk."

"It certainly is a lull in the action at this point as we try to see what

direction we go in at Fairfield Hills," he said.

Mr Brimmer said the need for maintenance and other projects has not gone away

at Edmond Town Hall. The 70-year-old building is in need of major alterations

-- the 23,000 square foot addition not withstanding.

"And time is ticking away," Mr Brimmer said.

Will the town add on to Edmond Town Hall even if it decides to purchase

Fairfield Hills?

"We can't assume anything until we see the entire package," Mr Brimmer said.

Last week, the Board of Selectmen agreed to fund the Parks & Recreation

Commission's $21,400 study of the Amaral property along Elm Drive. The

department is hoping to use the land in part for ball fields. The Legislative

Council is also expected to approve the transfer of funds. However, there is

no guarantee that the council will ever approve the construction of ball

fields there. Remember, the 185 acres of land for sale at Fairfield Hills

provides plenty of space for ball fields.

The town is also awaiting the final results of an economic study being

conducted by the firm of Harrall-Michalowski Associates of Hamden.