Independent Authority Considered—

Officials Weigh Options For

Future Management Of Fairfield Hills

By John Voket

The town charter currently mandates such a complicated and cumbersome process before launching major town projects that local officials are revisiting the prospect of establishing a private authority to eventually handle management responsibilities at the Fairfield Hills property.

Three weeks ago, Newtown closed on the 185-acre parcel and took ownership from the State of Connecticut. Since then, town leaders, members of the Ad-Hoc Fairfield Hills Management Committee, and an outside management firm have been busily working to address numerous issues on the campus.

The myriad concerns, from the lack of central heating in Canaan House to the impending remediation of contaminated soil and building demolition, are just a few of the mounting reasons why the ad-hoc committee is keeping the authority option in play. That group has met twice in the past eight days to focus on these and other issues.

A special meeting that was held August 26 was convened to specifically address the future of town employees who currently work in Canaan House (see related story). If town leaders decide to move those employees out of the facility instead of renovating the existing heating system to get them through this winter, they may be placed in modular offices or commercial office space elsewhere in town.

On August 19, ad-hoc committee Chairman John Reed said an authority might be the only way the town could be assured of continuity in long-term management at the campus as political administrations eventually change. He said the now defunct Fairfield Hills Master Plan Committee found no other logical way to ensure future that management remained independent of changing political priorities.

“The master plan’s only real recommendation is [to establish] an authority,” Mr Reed said. “We have seen successful examples in Danbury at Richter Park and the Parking Authority. We just need to define what the authority will do, and how much power they have.”

Mr Reed said sooner or later the town will need someone, or some organization, to handle day-to-day operations. “Management of Fairfield Hills is a full-time job…it is not for the first selectman to do,” he said.

Up to now, members of the ad-hoc committee have been meeting regularly, with subcommittees examining and acting on security issues, future demolition plans and other matters on the property. Subcommittee members may then make recommendations to the first selectman, who either delegates town departments or the temporary management firm of DiMarco, Miles and Murphy to handle the concerns.

During last week’s ad-hoc committee meeting, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said the idea for establishing an authority was introduced because the town charter does not currently allow for effective management at the facility. But he was satisfied in the short-term that the ad-hoc committee should remain the primary managing entity at Fairfield Hills.

“We now have the time [to consider] a charter change as we prepare for the long-term management of Fairfield Hills,” he said.

State Rep Julia Wasserman, who played a key role in securing the former state hospital and grounds for town use, said the authority might either be created by state legislative initiative or through a town charter change.

“It can be done in a charter revision,” she said. “I would like the Office of Legislative Research to find out how these authorities work.”

Mr Rosenthal reminded the committee that two fairly high profile authorities already exist in town.

“We already have the Water Pollution Control Authority and the Board of Town Hall Managers,” he said. “Nobody has suffered and these groups have broad powers established by ordinance. There are lots of ways to create these management groups.”

He said as it stands today, the charter allows for the creation of an authority, but it significantly hampers a locally created authority from performing its entire scope of duties. Mr Rosenthal clarified in a subsequent interview that the need to establish an authority was much more imminent during the tenure of the Master Plan Committee.

“It looked like we were going to take over the property much sooner than we did,” he said. “And we were told by our lawyers that proposed commercial lease agreements would be difficult to negotiate under our current charter. Establishing an authority would allow them to negotiate leases.”

He explained that any disposition of real property required a Board of Selectmen and Legislative Council approval, at which point any decision would face a town meeting. Then, the town would be required to perform a sealed bid procedure.

“Now is the time to change the charter to help streamline the procedures,” Mr Rosenthal said. “I don’t know of any business that would negotiate a lease on a sealed bid auction.”

According to the Connecticut State Statutes that involve Municipal Special Services Districts, which are the most far-reaching operational authorities, any town or city may establish these independent bodies by ordinance to promote the economic and general welfare of its citizens and property owners through the preservation, enhancement, protection, and development of the economic health of the municipality.

Section 7-339n of the Connecticut General Statutes spells out the powers of a special services district as they may be stipulated in an establishing ordinance. Such a district constitutes a body politic and corporate, and the ordinance shall confer on the district powers:

To sue and be sued;

To acquire, hold, and convey any estate, real or personal;

To contract and borrow money;

To recommend the imposition of taxes on real property within the district to help fund its operations;

To construct, own, operate, and maintain public improvements;

To provide within the district, any municipal services except related to the provision of formal elementary or secondary education services

An authority would also have the power to construct, acquire, or obtain leasehold interests in motor vehicle parking facilities, and to manage the operation of such facilities as they see fit.