‘Too Expensive’––

Council Rejects $500,000 Water Line Proposal

By Jan Howard

The Legislative Council on November 5 voted unanimously to reject a request by the Board of Education for an extension of the United Water system to Middle Gate School for a projected cost of $500,000.

Members of the council have questioned in past meetings why bottled water could not continue to be provided during the times coliform contamination is found in the water at the school and the water line project be deferred to another year.

The Board of Finance voted 3 to 2 in October in favor of the project.

Board of Finance Chairman John Kortz explained to the council on Wednesday that the request for the water line extension was originally in the Capital Improvement Plan, but debt service fees were not included for it in this year’s budget.

He also noted that it took three attempts to “get the hard numbers out of the Board of Education.”

“Everyone was skeptical,” Mr Kortz said of his board’s response to the request. “In the initial analysis, it was a $500,000 remedy to a $10,000 problem in the extreme case. It was a very expensive solution.”

Mr Kortze said that once the final numbers were provided, the numbers justified the expense.

At the previous council meeting, the council was advised that there had been three incidents of coliform contamination of a period of six to eight weeks each over the past three years. Future costs were also noted, such as replacement of a water tank and pumps and installation of an additional well.

Mr Kortze said he voted against the proposal on a dollars and cents basis. “I’m not sure it’s a plausible solution and couldn’t wait to be fixed.” He said appropriating the $500,000 would require raising the budget over what residents had approved in the budget this year.

He said providing bottled water costs $6,000 to $7,000 a year. “We’re not talking $30,000 to $40,000. I’m not refuting the need, but the diagnosis of the problem took forever.”

Mr Kortze said the water tank would need replacement at some time in the future. “There were things brought up that have merit. There are issues that need to be fixed, but does it have to be done this year?”

The water line extension would have an annual cost of $30,000 to $35,000 a year. Though the town is eligible for a low interest loan from the state, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said the State Bonding Commission has not agreed as yet to fund the project. He said the Board of Education would be eligible to apply for the loan again. He explained the project was ranked second on the state’s project list.

Joseph Di Candido said the water tank should be checked to see how long it would last. “What’s the harm if it does go,” he said. “We’re trying to save the taxpayers $500,000 in bonding.”

In answer to a question from Amy Dent, Mr Kortze said the water line had not been rated very high on the Capital Improvement Plan. “It would have to be put back in and have a higher priority. If they say it’s number one, we’ll put it there.”

Capital Improvements

Mr Kortze also raised concerns about the Capital Improvement Plan that is currently being discussed by his board and that the town would exceed its guidelines within two years.

“We’ve come a long way in fiscal management,” he said. However, he said the current plan does not include an open space initiative that would be a sizable proposal.

“I’m afraid we are at a point where we are teetering on reversing our positive trend we’ve been enjoying,” Mr Kortze said, noting harder decisions would have to be made in the future.

He said the present guidelines are based on growth rates of three and six percent a year.

Mr Rosenthal reported that the agreement with the Potatuck Club in regard to water issues at Fairfield Hills is almost completed and environmental testing is completed and the remedial plan is ready to go to the state for approval.

He also noted that the Planning and Zoning Commission is hoping that the current council would take action on the draft version of the 2003 Town Plan of Conservation and Development. “They are hoping action would be taken by people who had heard the presentation.”

At its meeting October 15, the Legislative Council referred the draft plan to its ordinance committee, which is to report back at the council’s November 19 meeting. The council is to comment on the draft plan to the P&Z by December 4.

The Legislative Council approved the transfer of $6,500 from contingency to the referenda account to replace annual budget referendum funds needed to cover the cost of the August 12 referendum on Fairfield Hills.