Selectmen Call For Review Of NHS Rebid And Forums With Constituents

By John Voket

During a regular meeting January 5, Selectmen Paul Mangiafico and Herb Rosenthal both requested First Selectman Joe Borst call a meeting with school district officials and the Board of Education to clarify whether or not it still makes sense rebid the existing high school expansion project.

Voters already indicated they were not willing to spend more than the originally approved $38.8 million to complete the project as proposed after a special appropriation to cover cost overruns in excess of $6 million was turned down in a separate referendum last October.

Mr Rosenthal reminded the board that he voted against modifying contracts with the architect and construction management firm to initiate the preparation of new bid requests, and said that he still believes it will “waste time and money” by rebidding the project.

“The architect and construction manager were not really encouraging [about saving] $6 million by rebidding,” Mr Rosenthal said. “We need to have a discussion with the Public Building and Site Commission, the Board of Finance and members of the Board of Ed. The longer we delay this, the more it will cost us in the end.”

Mr Rosenthal and Mr Mangiafico said that they were ready to make and second a motion formally directing the first selectman to call a special joint meeting, but Mr Borst said he was willing to contact school board chair Elaine McClure to schedule the sit-down.

In other action, Mr Mangiafico touched base on a three-month-old request he made in writing to Mr Borst about initiating regular, recurring town hall-style meetings. It is Mr Mangiafico’s hope that selectmen and constituents could interact, asking and answering questions and such, which is currently not permitted under the rules governing the selectmen’s regular meeting procedures.

The first selectman replied saying that once the new town hall is occupied, plans to broadcast local board and commission meetings via the local public access cable channel would occur.

Mr Borst said in the interim, lacking the ability to videotape and broadcast meetings on cable, he did not have time to write a weekly press release to keep residents informed about goings on in town. But Mr Mangiafico reminded the first selectman that the content of his written request had nothing to do with broadcasting meetings.

“Maybe you misinterpreted what was written,” Mr Mangiafico said. “I’m talking about improving communication face-to-face. I’m talking about having a meeting with nothing on the agenda, where we can discuss items the public can bring up and we will respond.”

Mr Mangiafico recommended that such meetings be scheduled by the first selectman as needed, but no fewer than once every four months.

Mr Borst replied that it was the first he was hearing about scheduling such town hall-style meetings regularly, but Mr Mangiafico referred the first selectman to that specific criteria outlined in his memo.

“It’s in the letter, Joe. Would you like me to read it to you?” Mr Mangiafico asked.

Mr Borst said no, and promised to “dig up the letter” and attempt to address the matter at the next selectmen’s meeting.

In other news, Mr Borst said he requested Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson contact all union representatives affiliated with the district to determine if they would reopen negotiations on salary in view of the worsening economic climate locally and throughout the state.

Both Mr Mangiafico and Mr Rosenthal questioned the logic behind excluding members of the townside unions.

“I think its terribly unfair for the superintendent to approach the educational unions about the possibility of reopening agreements, and the town does not do that concurrently,” Mr Mangiafico said. “I think it has to be a joint effort.”

Mr Borst defended his decision, saying the town human resources director had begun to initiate conversations on the townside as well. But the first selectman felt since the school district had such a large representation of union members, it was pointless to solicit town unions if the school district unions refused to reopen salary talks.

Mr Rosenthal said there was proposed legislation in Hartford that would permit municipalities to reopen negotiations without the unions agreeing to do it. But currently, both parties would have to formally agree to reopen talks.

Mr Borst agreed to speak to town human resources manager Carole Ross to determine that town union representatives were included in the proposal to consider renegotiating salaries.