The 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan was approved by the Board of Selectmen with some small cuts at the selectmen’s September 30 meeting.

Selectmen had some questions concerning the library HVAC system, the police department’s request of body cameras, as well as pickleball courts that had become a substantially larger line item than originally approved by the previous Board of Selectmen in late 2023.

During public participation, resident Lois Barber spoke against the courts, noting that residents had voted against a much smaller appropriation of $265,000 in 2019 on a 3-to-1 margin, roughly 2,100 to 700.

She also said that the selectmen had approved $100,000 in American Rescue Plan funds for eight courts, with the rest raised by pickleball players. The new request is for 10 courts with a total of $250,000 bonded by the town in Year 3, 2027-28, $100,000 from Capital & Non-Recurring, and another $500,000 coming from a STEAP grant.

“I was told about 30 pickleball players showed up for the meeting where they were given the $100,000, so they were in the majority,” said Barber. “What about the 2,100 that voted against taking out a bond for the courts in 2019? The taxpayers spoke. Those that are elected to represent us must do exactly that — represent us whether or not we are at a meeting. Pickleball was the only item to be voted down in a three-to-one vote by the public. A founding member of the Fairfield County Pickleball Club is on the Legislative Council. Do we have a goat tending the cabbage?”

Resident Ed Micklezeski also spoke about the courts, noting that the referendum in 2019 took place before pickleball “really took off” in town. He said that players in nearby towns have access to “professional” pickleball courts while Newtown players are using parking lots.

“It’s something the community needs now,” said Micklezeski.

Selectman Michelle Embree Ku noted the “cost went up significantly since this was discussed last year,” and questioned the likelihood of the town getting a STEAP grant for pickleball courts. She also asked what would happen if the grant is not received.

Selectman Dan Cruson said the funds would likely remain unappropriated if a grant was not received, and Finance Director Glenys Salas noted that would be up to the selectmen in 2027-28 to decide.

“Much of this hinges on unknowns,” said Salas.

Embree Ku said she was convinced of the value of pickleball courts to provide exercise and recreational opportunities for adults, but said the residents spoke clearly in 2019 and she was hesitant to “do anything without another referendum.”

Cruson said he saw both sides, but questioned whether the 2019 taxpayers were indeed saying “no to pickleball courts in perpetuity.”

Cruson also thought that the town taking a bigger share of the cost made sense since the courts were to be built at the Fairfield Hills Campus, which is town-owned property.

“It’s hard to say you built this but we own it and maintain it,” said Cruson.

Ultimately the item was left on the CIP unmodified. The following changes were made to the CIP: Reducing the library HVAC project from $3,450,000 to $1,650,000; move the Community Center pool decking to 2028, and add a $750,000 contribution to the Danbury Treatment Plant upgrade to 2028.

The amended CIP outlines the following items for the next five fiscal years.

In 2025-26, Year 1 of the plan, it calls for $13,889,201 in capital spending, with $6,720,000 bonded, $3,150,000 from the general fund, $2,409,201 in capital financing, $855,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $1,175,000 in special revenue funds, and $420,000 from other funding sources. The presented CIP only contained town-side expenditures; a combined CIP (which includes expenditures for the schools) will become available when it goes to the Board of Finance in October.

The bonded items are renovations and upgrades at Edmond Town Hall, $980,000; repairs, maintenance, and security at the Fairfield Hills campus, $715,000; HVAC at the C.H. Booth Library, $1,650,000; an HVAC unit at the Community Center pool, $1,000,000; pool deck restructuring at the Community Center, $300,000; irrigation infrastructure replacement for Parks & Recreation, $350,000; waterfront improvements for Parks & Recreation, $500,000; a boiler replacement for Public Works, $225,000, and $1,000,000 for the bridge replacement program.

With roadwork moved fully from bonding to the general fund, the town plans to spend $3,150,000 in Year 1.

Capital financing is a new funding source from this year, and is essentially the same as the town taking out an automotive loan. Salas said the town pays less in administrative fees to use capital financing rather than town bonding, but capital financing can only be used on things like new vehicles. Capital financing will be used for replacement of fire apparatus, $1,300,000; Axon body cameras, $267,284; Axon fleet, $232,318; and Axon Taser CEW, $209,599; and a road sweeper replacement, $400,000.

The capital & non-recurring fund will be used for town match of grants, $200,000; Emergency Management EOC building upgrades, $30,000; a storage facility at the Community Center, $150,000; additional monies towards the HVAC at the Community Center Pool, $200,000; site and salt storage improvements for Public Works, $75,000; and open space preservation, $200,000.

In Year 2, which is fiscal year 2026-27, the town is planning a total of $14,175,000 in capital projects, with $5,700,000 in bonding; $3,200,000 from the general fund; $1,700,000 in capital financing, $890,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund; $1,285,000 from special revenue funds; and $1,400,000 from gifts and grants.

The bonded items are renovations and upgrades to the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium, $850,000; building remediation and demolition at Fairfield Hills, $1,500,000; a parking lot and sidewalks at the C.H. Booth Library, $650,000; parking lot abatement/improvements for Parks & Recreation, $500,000; Treadwell artificial turf and lighting, $250,000; Public Works site and salt storage improvements, $950,000; and the bridge replacement program, $1,000,000.

The town will spend $3,200,000 from the general fund on roads.

Capital financing will be used to pay $1,400,000 for fire apparatus and $300,000 for a Public Works dump truck.

The capital & non-recurring fund will be used for town match of grants, $200,000; automated dividing walls at the Community Center, $90,000; multipurpose room upgrades at the Community Center, $150,000; Dickinson Playground artificial turf, $135,000; and Treadwell artificial turf and lighting, $850,000.

The town will utilize $1,400,000 in grants and gifts for a Rail Trail.

In Year 3, which is fiscal year 2027-28, the town is planning a total of $14,180,000 in capital projects. It will bond $7,055,000, use $3,250,000 from the general fund; $2,130,000 in capital financing; $800,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $245,000 in special revenue funds; and $700,000 in grants and gifts.

The bonded items are pool deck restructure at the Community Center, $2,700,000; contribution to wastewater treatment plant, $750,000, EOC Building upgrades for Emergency Management, $270,000; C.H. Booth Library exterior upgrades, $475,000; Community Center locker room tiling, $325,000; Fairfield Hills trail improvements, $385,000; 10 pickleball courts, $250,000; Recreation Annex renovation, $400,000; Public Works roof replacement, $400,000; and bridge replacement program, $1,000,000.

From the general fund, the capital road program, $3,250,000.

Using capital financing, fire apparatus, $1,500,000; and two Public Works dump trucks, $630,000.

Using the capital & non-recurring fund, $200,000 for the town match of grants, mitigate and upgrade the plumbing system at Edmond Town Hall, $250,000; Newtown Community Center exterior shade structure, $50,000; 10 pickleball courts, $100,000; and open space preservation, $200,000.

Using gifts and grants, Fairfield Hills trail improvements, $100,000; pickleball courts, $500,000; and Recreation Annex renovation, $100,000.

In Year 4, which is fiscal year 2028-29, the town is planning a total of $10,615,000 in capital projects. It will bond $5,545,000, use $3,300,000 from the general fund; $670,000 in capital financing; $750,000 from the capital & non-recurring fund, $150,000 in special revenue funds; and $200,000 in grants and gifts.

The bonded items are sidewalks program, $500,000; mitigate and upgrade plumbing system at Edmond Town Hall, $1,750,000; new generators and transfer switch at a fire house, $370,000; city-wide cameras, $1,000,000; library interior upgrades, $425,000; Treadwell playground replacement, $500,000; and bridge replacement program, $1,000,000.

From the general fund, capital road program, $3,300,000.

Using capital financing, two Public Works dump trucks, $670,000.

From the capital & non-recurring fund, town match of grants, $200,000; Community Center pool plastering/tiling, $150,000; a generator for the Fairfield Hills campus, $200,000; and open space preservation, $200,000.

Using special revenue funds, Community Center pool plastering/tiling, $150,000.

Using grants and gifts, $200,000.

Year 5, which is fiscal year 2029-30, is the town’s next planned bonding vacation. While the town will not be bonding anything new that year, some capital projects will still get done from other funding sources. The town is planning a total of $3,750,000 in capital projects, using $3,350,000 from the general fund for the capital road program; and $400,000 from the capital and non-recurring fund for town match of grants ($200,000) and open space preservation ($200,000).

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.