Newtowners voters will have an especially busy April with qualified individuals being called to the polls to cast ballots on spending for a new community center, as well as on the proposed town and school budget for 2016-17, and to endorse their Republican or Democratic preference for President.The Bee that about $154,000 or 34 percent has already been spent between an architect and project manager, leaving the balance to be applied to the construction if the April 5 referendum is successful in authorizing spending the balance of the $10 million gift.Explanation Detailednewtown-ct.gov.Why Two Referendums?The Bee asking why the community center referendum is not being combined with the upcoming April 26 Budget Referendum.Budget Vote & PrimaryOrder Of Ballot

The first call to the polls is for a special referendum to authorize or reject a $14.55 million special appropriation and $5 million bond authorization for the planning, design, and construction of a Newtown Community Center.

That spending plan includes $9.45 million remaining in a gift from General Electric that was provided to the town following the Sandy Hook tragedy, specifically to create a new community center; that money will be combined with $5 million already approved in the Capital Improvement Plan in the current fiscal year, also earmarked for a community center project.

Early in the project timeline, the town approved spending $450,000 of the GE gift for planning and development of the new center.

Town Finance Director Robert Tait told

An additional $5 million from GE to underwrite at least five years of operational expenses for the center will be allocated once the building project is completed.

Ahead of the Tuesday, April 5, standalone vote on community center spending, Newtown Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead published explanatory language which is now available for review by clicking a corresponding link on the town's website (newtown-ct.gov). Ms Halstead prepared the explanation in accordance with C.G.S. 9-369b.

The single question on the April 5 ballot is: "Shall the $14,550,000 special appropriation and $5,000,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, and construction of a Newtown Community Center be approved?"

According to the explanatory text: "If approved at referendum, $14,550,000 will be appropriated to plan, design, and construct a community center for the Town of Newtown. Five million dollars ($5,000,000) of that amount is to be bonded as identified in the approved 2016-2017 Capital Improvement Plan. The balance of the money comes from a $10,000,000 grant to the Newtown community from the GE Corporation.

"The project anticipates a facility of some 43,000 square feet comprised of two main features, including at least 13,000 sq ft of flexible, programmable space for general community use and an aquatics component with two pools, a lap pool of up to 50 meters and a zero-entry pool," the explanation continues. "The facility will be located on the Fairfield Hills Campus, adjacent to the NYA. Site work, parking, and support features such as locker rooms, offices, and bathrooms are included in the project.

"This resolution adopted by the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, and Legislative Council is submitted to a referendum vote of electors of the town and persons qualified to vote who are not electors to be held at the Newtown Middle School located at 11 Queen Street on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, between the hours of 6 am and 8 pm."

The explanation goes on to remind voters that applications for absentee ballots are available now through the Office of the Town Clerk at 3 Primrose Street - or by visiting the town clerk's page at

The full text of the resolution as prepared by Robinson & Cole and adopted by town government is on file and available for public inspection in the town clerk's office.

Several community members have contacted

First Selectman Pat Llodra explained that it has been the thinking of the community center advisory committee that the issue of the community center proposal is best responded to as a separate, standalone question, removed from issues of the budget and political candidates.

"That community center referendum question asks voters to consider two issues - should the town build a community center with the two main features identified as an aquatics center and flexible, programmable space; and two, should the town borrow $5 million to add to the GE gift in order to make that project happen."

Voters will be asked to return to the polls on April 26, which is not only the charter-mandated day for the annual community budget referendum, but also the date of the Connecticut Presidential Primary. This is the second time over the past several years that both votes fell on the same day, according to Newtown's Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton.

Details of the budget vote will be forthcoming when the Legislative Council completes deliberation on the proposed budget and endorses the final requests for the school district and municipal budget, which includes debt service on all town and school capital bonding.

While voters in Newtown Districts 1 and 1-5 can cast both a budget and Presidential Primary ballot that day between 6 am and 8 pm at Newtown Middle School, all qualified voters in each of the remaining Newtown voting districts will have to cast a presidential ballot at their district polling place, and then respond to the middle school to cast a budget vote.

While Districts 1 and 1-5 vote at Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street; District 2 and District 3-2 vote in the Reed School, 3 Trades Lane; and Districts 3 and 3-5 vote at Head O' Meadow School, 94 Boggs Hill Road.

Find your voting location by street name online at newtown-ct.gov/public_documents/newtownct_registrar/findstreet.

In a release announcing the Presidential Primary, Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said, "This has been an exciting election with a lot of interest and it looks like it will remain competitive for a long while yet. Connecticut will make its voice heard in the democratic process on April 26. However, to cast your ballot in the April primary you must be registered with a party. If you are a new or unaffiliated voter, it is not too late."

The order of the Presidential Primary ballot will be as follows on the Democratic line:

Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente; Hillary Clinton; Bernie Sanders; Uncommitted

The order of the ballot will be as follows on the Republican line:

Ted Cruz; Ben Carson; Donald J. Trump; John R. Kasich; Uncommitted

The deadline for new voters and for unaffiliated voters to enroll in a party for the primary is April 21 via mail or April 25 in person. More details available at the election calendar: sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/calendars/2016_election/2016_ppp_calendar.pdf

According to Secretary Merrill, "The presidential primary does not directly select actual delegates to the national party conventions. Rather, it determines the number of delegate positions allocated to each Presidential candidate, statewide and/or by Congressional District as the case may be.

"This apportionment of delegate seats 'won' is done according to the applicable 'proportional representation' formula, if any, prescribed by national party rules; or on a 'winner takes all' basis if so authorized by such rules; or by the formula specified in the state law if the party rules provide neither a formula nor a winner-takes-all requirement."