Lawmakers Urge Review Of Actual Horse Guard Costs

By John Voket

Newtown’s two State Representatives Chris Lyddy and DebraLee Hovey planned to meet with Major General Thaddeus J. Martin, adjutant general for the Connecticut National Guard, Thursday morning, July 28, to discuss financial reporting about the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard.

After assurances that the 200-year-old ceremonial escort unit would remain based in Newtown despite budget cuts to the state military agency, local officers of the horse guard were informed the facility will be closed and merged with the First Company unit based in Avon.

Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra told The Bee this week that orders are to relocate a number of the guard’s horses to the Avon facility, and to begin buttoning-up operations with the goal of abandoning the sprawling grounds and stables on the west side of the Fairfield Hills complex by September 1.

But after working with local advocates for the Newtown unit and reviewing some of the financial documents pertaining to utility costs for the horse guard facility, Reps Lyddy and Hovey are becoming convinced that the decision to close the local facility was likely made factoring over-inflated operational cost estimates.

Rep Lyddy also believes that some of the procurement requirements for supplies and services to the horse guard are indicative of a larger issue, which if addressed, could potentially save Connecticut taxpayers millions of dollars in the future regardless of the outcome on the local military unit.

“We want to ensure that the general understands we are looking at the true operational costs, and to make sure he knows we are not backing down,” Rep Lyddy said one day ahead of the meeting.

Rep Lyddy said it appears the general either was provided or reported some inaccurate information to the governor’s budget staff about utility costs to operate the Newtown facility. The lawmaker also said inflated costs for supplies like feed, hay, and veterinarian services should also be part of the discussion about permitting the horse guard units to do their own fundraising with the end goal of become a self-sustaining entity.

“We want to give him an opportunity and a charge to make this right,” Rep Lyddy said.

Overestimated Utility Costs?

Both lawmakers say that the military may have estimated the utility costs for the horse guard on a billing system that also includes several other state military and Department of Transportation facilities that all share a single electrical meter. Rep Hovey said she discovered that a federal military K-9 training facility on the site has its own submeter, and that the federal government has been repaying the state military for related electric costs.

But the lawmaker said she can find no accounting of that federal reimbursement in paperwork tied to the Newtown horse guard facility or its operation.

“When we finally got a look at the bills, it was plain to see that the horse guard was just a fraction of the utility costs,” she said, “and nobody is talking about the federal reimbursement for the K-9 facility, either.”

Rep Hovey added that she also wants to meet with the governor, or someone in his office, to ensure the circle of accurate information is completed to the state’s top decisionmaker on the issue, which is Governor Dannel P. Malloy.

“The bottom line is that we’re looking at a taxpayer cost of about $50,000 a year or the elimination of a beloved entity that is more than 200 years old,” Rep Hovey said. “I think the strength of the community advocacy [to save the Newtown unit] has to be brought to the governor himself,” Rep Hovey said. “I’m not sure that level of political conversation has occurred with him.”

On Wednesday, resident Chris McCormick, who is among the individuals heading up fundraising efforts to sustain the Newtown horse guard unit, said she was going to hand deliver a stack of signed petitions to the governor’s office at the capitol, to provide further evidence that the operation is one that is near and dear to Newtowners’ hearts.

Fears Over Abandonment

On another front, Rep Hovey wants the governor to understand the existing horse guard facility is in need of renovation work, but that local supporters are willing to do what it takes to get that work done. But, as Rep Lyddy pointed out, even that work is currently subject to military procurement procedures that could greatly increase the cost versus what might be charged or provided through a public-private initiative.

“I’m worried that if the horse guard doesn’t stay in Newtown, we’ll have another huge abandoned and blighted property on our hands,” Rep Hovey said. “And we also need to look at which of the two facilities is the best place for our horses. I think it is Newtown, which has its neighboring Department of Agriculture operation and these great pastures.”

In regard to the horse guard’s role in highlighting a need to examine overall state military purchasing policies, Rep Lyddy said the Newtown facility literally represents a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the costs to procure goods and services for all Connecticut’s military facilities and operations.

“If the horse guard can fundraise and bid for its own feed and services, that would be important because right off the bat we cut costs significantly,” Rep Lyddy said. “But this represents bigger systemic issues we need to look at statewide — imagine the cost savings when you look at all the military operations across the state.”

The lawmakers say they will push as hard as possible for the governor to permit the Newtown unit to pilot a program where it self sustains for one year.

“Everything they need is pretty minimal,” Rep Lyddy said. “We just need to address the sustainability factor, and try to assure the governor that we won’t be coming back in a few years looking for a financial bailout.”