Finance OKs Middle Gate Water Line

By Jan Howard

The Board of Finance last week voted 3-2 to approve for a bonding resolution a project that would extend the United Water system to Middle Gate School at a projected cost of $500,000. Members voting in favor were James Gaston, Michael Portnoy, and Kelley Urso with Chairman John Kortze and Peter Giarratono voting against.

The bonding resolution for the project, plus two others for additional classrooms for the high school and heating and air conditioning at Head O’ Meadow School, will be addressed at the board’s next meeting. At that time the three proposals would be sent on to the Legislative Council and, if approved, to the Board of Selectmen for action and to set a town meeting date.

The water system at the school has experienced several coliform bacteria issues over the past three years, and treatment systems for uranium and radon have been installed.

Ron Bienkowski, the school system’s director of business, recently turned in comparisons of the cost of providing bottled water and chlorinating the existing system in addition to other costs with connection to the town water system.

According to Mr Bienkowski, the school system is second on a list of 16 projects being considered by the state’s Bonding Commission, which is scheduled to meet later this month. If the bonding is approved, it would provide for a two percent, low-interest-rate loan for 20 years. Bonding of $500,000 would amount to a cost of $35,500 for the first year and decreasing thereafter.

Estimated costs for the current system for operating, remediation, and emergency costs would be $27,832 a year, according to information Mr Bienkowski provided. Additional costs to be factored into that would include replacement of buried 5,000- and 10,000-gallon water storage tanks that are 39 years old at a cost of $45,000 to $55,000 and drilling of another well, which the state has suggested, to provide water without radon or uranium at a cost of $10,000 to $15,000.

Dominick Posca, director of buildings and grounds for the school system, said if the school taps into the town water system, all pumps and wells would be sealed off.

At last week’s meeting, Mr Posca said the school’s water system recently went down at a cost of $1,400. He said in regard to a new well, he does not know where one could be located. The water tanks, which need replacing, were installed in 1964, he added.

 “There’s no doubt we need a quality water system,” Mr Kortze said. However, he noted, he has concerns. “We have to start making tough decisions,” he said. In addition, the water issue has existed for a while, he noted, “The numbers have changed.” Originally, the school system had said the current system would cost about $10,000 a year, he said.

Mr Kortze said approval of the project would raise the budget above what taxpayers agreed to pay. “We’re being asked to fix a problem out of sequence,” he said, adding that while First Selectman Herb Rosenthal has worked within his budget, the Board of Education is asking for additional money that should have been included in the budget. The Legislative Council recently voted unanimously to approve a special appropriation of $300,000 in the school’s 2003–04 budget to be funded by cash receipts for school-generated fees.

“I’m not refuting the need,” Mr Kortze said of the waterline extension proposal, “but it’s above and beyond what the taxpayers approved.”

Mr Portnoy said the system is failing routinely. “It costs money, and it costs hours.” He noted that replacement of existing water tanks would be a capital cost within the next two years. He said the water line extension would be a low cost alternative to hook up to a reliable water source. “It will save money down the line. It seems like a good thing to do in my mind.”

Mr Giarratano noted while the water line extension would be a good idea over the long run, selling it to the voters might be a problem.

 Mr Gaston said the water line extension would cost $7,643 more per year “to fix a problem, as opposed to a patch job. After 20 years we’ll still have a problem. I wish we didn’t have to do it now.”

He said the Middle Gate problem is both a health issue and an economic issue.

Mr Rosenthal questioned extending the water line under the current economic conditions. “The economy is not getting better,” he said, noting the project would incur $500,000 in debt, including $60,000 the first year in debt service.

Mr Rosenthal said this week that he does not oppose the proposal but wants to make sure there is no other way to solve the water problem at the school that will not cost half a million dollars. He said the water is currently free of bacterial problems.

Mr Rosenthal said the proposal should have been proposed through the budget process. “The state has never closed the school,” he said, nor has the local Health District seen it as an immediate health problem.

He said funds for debt service for the high school and Head O’ Meadow projects were included in the budget. “This one wasn’t. I want to make sure financially that everyone has looked at this carefully.”

In other business, the Board of Finance is beginning a comprehensive review of all ordinances that provide tax relief for veterans, the elderly, and others.

Enabling legislation was passed effective July 1 at the state level that allows communities to increase the amount of the veterans exemption, but a local ordinance would have had to be enacted by the town by October 1.