Taking "one last opportunity talking to the print media" about a community center proposal that is on the ballot for an April 5 special referendum, First Selectman Pat Llodra conducted a briefing this week for reporters and residents. Joining her Tuesday evening, March 29, in Newtown Municipal Center council chambers were Newtown Community Center Commission (NCCC) members and co-chairs, finance board Chairman James Gaston, and Legislative Council Chair Mary Ann Jacob.'Poised And Ready'Seniors Speak Out

Mrs Llodra handed out a question and answer packet addressing the 2013 gift from the GE Foundation of $15 million for the development, construction, and operation of a community center. From GE are $10 million to design and build, and another $5 million to underwrite at least five years of operating expenses.

The town is bonding an additional $5 million approved in this year's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to supplement the initial $10 million capital gift given to the community by GE after the 12/14 tragedy.

An appointed Community Center Commission spent nearly a year conducting outreach and planning, to arrive at a final proposal for voters to accept or reject on April 5 between 6 am and 8 pm at the Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street. A special absentee voting session is taking place Saturday, April 2, 9 am to noon, in the town clerk's office at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Absentee ballots will also be available Monday, April 4, from the town clerk between the hours of 8 am and 4:30 pm.

"We have arrived at a juncture with a proposal," Mrs Llodra noted at the press briefing. The first selectman said the session represented a "last effort to make sure residents have the correct information."

She then noted the Q&A packets asking and answering questions about the GE donation, the donation's intent, project recommendations and financials, who in town could use the facility - seniors, toddlers, adults, teens, families, as well as local organizations - details of the referendum question, and how the commission arrived at its recommendation - a 43,000-square-foot facility with flexible programming space for the community and an aquatics area with both a gradual or zero-entry pool, and a larger 50-meter multipurpose pool.

Mrs Llodra explained that the town is using $5 million in CIP funds because the "proposal was more than $10 million; to build exceeded the [GE] gift." The remaining $5 million from the GE money is intended for operations after the center is built.

Welcoming questions, NCCC Co-Chair Brian Hartgraves noted that there is "still opposition" to the proposal, but he is also "surprised at the support we've gotten," and feels the final community center plan will be accepted.

Should the project fail, Mrs Llodra will "need to talk to a lot of people" to determine whether there was "no passion around project, or did people not want to bond?" She would need to speak with town boards and with her contacts at GE.

"GE has been honorable and patient and we're honored by the commitment," said Mrs Llodra, who added she does not feel the company will abandon Newtown.

Should the project earn approval, the community center "will be a focal point for the town," Mr Hartgraves said.

"A community center idea is broad and can touch so many people," said Mr Gaston. There is "breadth in the community," and a new center "will attract attention."

"There is great value in bringing people together, and connecting in a social way," Mrs Llodra said, which is the donor's intent. The community center idea "was so people could share experiences, grow together on a journey of healing and hope."

Once approved, Mrs Llodra wants top break ground quickly, she said. "We're poised and ready." A site adjacent to NYA Sports & Fitness Center is already in place.

Aiming to "supply voters with information to make an informed decision" on Tuesday, Ms Jacob hopes to see residents get out to vote. "We owe it to GE to respond and to honor the victims with this gift."

Agreeing that "it's an effort to get to the polls," NCCC Co-Chair Andy Clure invited residents to reach out to commissioners in person or e-mail the commission with questions prior to the referendum. See the commission's Facebook page, or e-mail newtowncommunitycenter@gmail.com.

Resident and NCCC member Bill Buchler asked officials: "What does a community center mean to you?"

Mr Hartgraves, who works for GE, said he felt "a proud moment when they donated," and he hopes to see this come to fruition.

Thinking back to the passion surrounding past community center efforts as many as 10 and 20 years ago, Mrs Llodra "admires the longevity of hope." She said a "real hub for all ages in the community will be value added."

A community center "is something the town has wanted, but has been unable to do, and it's a focal point for all generations to meet and enjoy activities," Mr Gaston said. Aside from being a business asset, the facility will be a "healing center and multigenerational center."

Glad that the town has arrived at a time for a vote, Mr Clure said that since the 12/14 tragedy he has been involved in community projects that brought people together. "This is an opportunity for so many people … they can watch or participate" in activities there, he said.

Would the project be financially sustainable in the years to come? The proposal of $1 million a year for five years will provide for operations at a center that "won't use nearly a million a year," Ms Jacob said, noting the $5 million from GE will last "many, many years."

The money will likely be "excess, and we can use the money to sponsor seniors," and more, Mr Gaston said. The money could also be used to create "flexible programming fees," Mr Hartgraves said. The money is a resource, he said.

Many of the outspoken seniors in town felt differently, however, which they expressed during ongoing question and answer periods - several hosted by the Commission on Aging (COA) and its chair, Curt Symes, and others hosted by NCCC.

The audience laughed as Community Center Commission member John Boccuzzi explained that $5 million of the GE funds intended for programming "would last for years," as he spoke to a group of roughly 25 seniors gathered at Newtown Senior Center on Wednesday for a COA Q&A session. Mr Boccuzzi grew insistent.

"I am giving you facts and you're laughing based on nonsense you've heard," he said, saying their misunderstanding is no different than consulting "a neighbor down the street who lives in a tent," rather than the group that has thoroughly corresponded with experts on how to build a pool, and run and program it.

Speaking of a "big picture," League of Senior Voters member Rudy Magnan said, "It's dangling marshmallows, and we'll have to compete to use" the community center space. His argument began with another demand to see the "big picture, there are 5,000 seniors in town with the worst senior center," and said they had been promised a senior center.

If vying for space and use of a community center, he told those gathered Wednesday, "You have no identity." He said, "Here we go again," with a project that "discourages unity."

Taxes will go up, Mr Magnan said, to which a voice in the crowd said, "They'll go up anyway." Regarding raised taxes, Mr Magnan asked, "And what do we get I return?" Applause followed his comments.

Mr Symes said "there is now a better understanding of the seniors' plight," and they can now effect change. He said the referendum question is asking if we take this gift from GE, to which someone in the crowd said, "hogwash."

Senior Center Director Marilyn Place had started the day's session by introducing Mr Symes and offering those gathered an information packet detailing the project proposal and its costs.

Mr Symes opened by clarifying misconceptions that still exist. During a similar presentation earlier that day at Nunnawauk Meadows, he had needed to specify that there is no ice rink in the current community center planning. Someone that morning had also asked why plans call for a pool, and why not use the pool at NYA Sport & Fitness Center.

He had answered, "There is no pool at the NYA."

He referred seniors to their information packets and to recent newspaper articles that clearly defined plans. Resident Karin Aurelia, retired Republican registrar of voters, does not view a pool as something for seniors, she said. And how could the available money pay for two pools and the building, she asked.

Mr Symes referenced prior years' research into costs, and said that a prior 30 months' worth of research by two previous community center groups had been done. He said "prior efforts had received architectural design proposals," and that information from a design firm was "very accurate."

"How much?" Ms Aurelia asked. Commission member Kinga Walsh then referred to the $10 million gift to design and build from GE to which $5 million of the CIP funds are added, and the additional $5 million of GE money from operations.

"Then what?" Ms Aurelia asked.

Much of the space for running programs will be "managed, scheduled, and shared," Mr Symes continued. Seniors can have some use of that space for expanded programming, he said. "Are classes free?" someone asked? "Nothing is free, nothing."

Seniors did not want expensive programming and also asked why the project was not designed within the $10 million. Mr Boccuzzi would later answer that the town's CIP already had funds set aside for a community center.

"The town has set aside $5 million - it had originally set aside $10 million," and then Newtown received the GE gift. In January the Legislative Council had voted to reduce the amount of community center funding in the CIP that was in place before the tragedy.