All Building Projects Should Be Vetted

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my disappointment in last week’s articles.

When John Voket interviewed me, he focused on whether or not I have the right to send out the Independent Party of Newtown newsletters via e-mail, suggesting I might have lost my constitutional right now that I am an elected official. He did not ask me one substantive question on my reaction to Will Roger’s opinions on the status of the high school expansion project.

 The high school expansion project is the most critical project for Newtown and the voters should be allowed to vote next month. This project has been thoroughly vetted. I followed this project closely since the High School Space Needs Committee presented their recommendation to the Board of Education 2½ years ago. Since then, NEASC placed the high school on warning status, multiple schematic design renderings and cost estimates have been prepared, the Board of Finance and the Legislative Council reduced the cost of the project from $47.9 million to $41.5 million to address the changes in the enrollment projections, the Board of Education invited all boards/commissions to attend their high school expansion workshop on January 8 so that the architects/project manager/BOE/business manager could answer any questions, and the Board of Education made numerous follow-up presentations to the Board of Finance/Legislative Council.

Ultimately, 12 council members unanimously approved the five-year Capital Improvement Plan with the intent to approve the funding resolution to allow the voters to decide next month. I believe the intent of our charter is to provide the council the power and authority to send a project to the voters and the council should exercise leadership to ensure that the intent of the charter is honored.

Kendra Bobowick’s article “$1 Million in Rec Center Funds Earns Final OK” unfairly targeted my No vote without giving me the opportunity for an explanation. I fully support the concept of the community/senior center, however there are many reasons why I chose to vote No:

I fear that if the high school expansion does not go forward, many residents will be outraged and may choose not to support the budget and/or other projects presented on April 22.

I am not comfortable providing more money for FFH until there is full disclosure of how the $21.85 million has been spent and allocated.

I believe Litchfield Hall demolition should be funded by the 2001 bond appropriation. The original intent of the resolution was to spend ~$7 million for remediation and demolition. Most of these dollars are reallocated to fund the new town hall. There is over $12 million not spent.

Mr Borst received a verbal estimate that this project would cost $15 million with a pool. First phase will include classroom space for P&R and Senior Center for $6.2 million. The pool (gymnasium?) will be added during a second phase. This is not a comprehensive-long-term-approach.

Before we spend $1 million designing and demolishing a building, I believe all building projects should be rigorously vetted (as the high school expansion was) and a schematic design renderings/up-to-date written cost estimates should be presented to justify the project.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                         March 26, 2008

(Editor’s note: The Newtown Bee and all of its employees continue, as always, to affirm and recognize all of Ms Murray’s constitutional rights, including the right to e-mail newsletters to whomever she wishes.)