Parks & Rec Bumped—

Finance Bd. Sets Capital Priorities

By John Voket

The Newtown Parks and Recreation Department was clearly the biggest loser as the Board of Finance prioritized capital projects for the next municipal funding cycle. And because of the looming potential expense of a high school renovation and other school and municipal commitments, the board agreed that all funding for projects not yet approved will be pushed back to the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

The actions of the Board of Finance Monday effectively cancelled any hope of a number of planned projects moving forward for bonding including almost $7 million for a Parks and Recreation maintenance building roof, a Dickinson Park pool replacement. and a new town recreation center.

The board also rejected nearly $3 million in proposed school spending for heating and air conditioning renovations at Middle Gate School, as well as a roof replacement and the design phase of a cafeteria and auditorium expansion at the Newtown Middle School. However, finance board members acknowledged the likelihood that school officials would come back with new plans for HVAC renovations at Hawley School.

After lengthy discussion, the board agreed to note in the capital funding prioritization plan, to expect a request for funding on the Hawley project to surface before the 2007 budget cycle. The funding for the Hawley project was initially proposed at $5.46 million, but a new proposed number was not assigned to the item by the finance board.

Requested spending for two other school projects was included in the funding proposal. The finance board endorsed $4.48 million for the middle school HVAC renovation and $2.43 million for a similar project at Sandy Hook School.

On the municipal side, the board carried through with plans to fund open space acquisition at $2 million, the Commerce Road technology park project at $2.95 million, three new fire trucks over the next three years at $1.34 million, a senior center expansion at $1.3 million and Police Department building improvements at $1.1 million.

The board also further adjusted the funding number for a proposed high school addition and renovation that was initially estimated at $41 million. The board previously proposed that number be reduced to $30 million, and after further discussion the board members voted unanimously to take that number down to $25 million.

During the meeting, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal presented information he had formerly discussed with school and town officials last week, detailing comparative costs to construct a new high school facility to accommodate what is expected to be a significant increase in students over the next ten years.

Mr Rosenthal believes a new facility, constructed on the town-owned Fairfield Hills campus, could accommodate 275 students for between $13,787,000 and $18,600,000. Bumping up the project to accommodate as many as 400 students, he explained, could be achieved for between $19,409,000 and $26,500,000.

During the meeting both Mr Rosenthal and finance board chairman John Kortze labeled the $30 million proposal for high school expansion “overgenerous.” Newly elected board member John Torok, who formerly served as the school system’s finance director, said he would vote an “absolute no” on the current proposal to build out at the existing high school site.

“We should build a new structure with expandable areas built in,” Mr Torok said. “We should build a basic building off site.”

Following the meeting, Mr Rosenthal clarified that he based his high school building estimates on the same figures school officials put forward for the proposed expansion on site. He presented data for a 48,000 and a 70,000-square-foot building he said could be built on or near the site of Kent House on the Fairfield Hills campus.

Mr Rosenthal based construction cost estimates on square foot per student ratio of 174.5, and included a choice of trade cost estimates ranging from $190 per square foot to $275 per square foot.

“This is an option I’m offering from a purely financial standpoint,” Mr Rosenthal said. “I don’t know if it will work program-wise.”

He said his estimates included $1.25 million for site costs, and accommodated a generous 13 percent ratio for “soft costs,” fees and expenses. Mr Rosenthal also estimated a five percent contingency on each proposal.

The first selectman said that when it comes to state reimbursements that could range from $9.03 million to $12.7 million, the town can only bank on funds related to state student population estimates.

“We have to remember that the only reimbursements we’ll get from the state will be based on their student numbers,” Mr Rosenthal said. “But we really need to look at the bigger picture of another renovation at the present site. Do we really want as many as 2,400 students in a 350,000-square-foot building? That’s way too big.”

The final matter of business for finance board members Monday evening was to prioritize funding proposals in the town Capital Improvement Plan going forward through the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

In 2007, the board prioritized capital projects as follows:

1. Capital road projects

2. Revaluation

3. Bonding to match grants for the technology park

4. The design phase of the high school expansion

5. A replacement pumper truck for Hook & Ladder

6. The design phase of Newtown Police Department building improvements

In the 2008-2009 fiscal year, prioritization is as follows:

1. Capital road projects

2. Technology park

3. High school expansion/renovation

4. A pumper truck for Dodgingtown Fire Department

5. Middle school HVAC

6. Senior Center expansion

7. A replacement grader for the Public Works Department

8. Police building improvements/renovations

9. Parks and Recreation baseball/softball field lights

In the 2009-2010 fiscal year, prioritization as follows:

1. Capital road projects

2. Technology park

3. Second phase of high school expansion/renovation

4. Sandy Hook Fire Department pumper truck replacement

5. Second phase of middle school HVAC improvements

In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, prioritization is as follows:

1. Capital road projects

2. Technology park

3. Sandy Hook Center streetscape

4. Sandy Hook School HVAC improvements.