Selectmen Review Wish List For Capital Plan

By Jan Howard

Members of the Board of Selectmen got their first look at town department requests for the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for fiscal years 2004–05 through 2008–09 at its meeting July 21.

Financial Director Ben Spragg presented the list of requests to the board, according to First Selectman Herb Rosenthal. The CIP is updated every year to provide a continuous five-year projection of the town’s future capital needs.

Because the selectmen like to review the proposed requests before discussing them, “The plan will be discussed at our next meeting,” Mr Rosenthal said. “The plan has not been approved by the selectmen.”

The Board of Selectmen must prioritize and approve department requests to be included in the town’s CIP. The Legislative Council has final approval.

The CIP proposes a total expenditure of $43,050,000 over a five-year period, of which $4,460,000 in new appropriations is requested for the budget for fiscal year 2004–05.

Mr Spragg presented a summary of the major projects proposed in the five-year plan.

There is a request of $14,000,000 for Fairfield Hills/Town and Recreation Space Needs, which represents year two and three of the remaining $20,900,000 already approved by local voters but yet to be borrowed for the project.

There are seven projects for Parks and Recreation, totaling $5,570,000, including a maintenance facility for $1,600,000 and a recreation center at Fairfield Hills for $2,600,000. The remaining projects are for parks and field improvements, including pond renovations at Dickinson Park, baseball/softball field lights, and a pool dome for Treadwell Park.

A request from the Police Commission for building design and renovation of the police station (Town Hall South) totals $4,950,000.

The tax assessor has requested $450,000 for revaluation, which is state mandated every four years.

The Economic Development Commission has requested $6,850,000 for three projects, the primary one of which is construction of Commerce Technology Park for $5,400,000. The remaining projects are in Sandy Hook Center for a Streetscape Project and Hawleyville for road improvements at the Currituck/Obtuse/Route 25 intersection.

Two fire trucks for Botsford and Newtown Hook and Ladder have been requested by the Fire Commission for $780,000.

Public Works has submitted a request for six projects totaling $10,250,000. Of this amount, $10,000,000 is being requested for capital road improvements. The remaining request is for a grader. Mr Spragg noted that the Public Works Department submitted several requests for large trucks and equipment that did not meet the $199,000 threshold to be included in the plan.

There was no submission this year as yet to purchase open space land, Mr Rosenthal said, pending a meeting he plans in August to address a land acquisition program.