Rosenthal: State Deadline On

Fairfield Hills May Not Be Firm

By Steve Bigham

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal announced this week that state officials will not be “sticklers” about holding the town to the 105-day deadline for a decision on Fairfield Hills… as long as the town shows it is moving toward a decision.

Mr Rosenthal said he was concerned that he may have given the wrong impression, making it seem like Newtown was under a more serious time constraint that it really was. If it takes a few months more for the town to iron out the wrinkles, then so be it, he said. The town must, however, express “interest” in purchasing the property within a 45-day period, which has already begun.

On Wednesday, Mr Rosenthal answered numerous questions from the Legislative Council about the disposition of Fairfield Hills.

When will we get a price on the cost to buy Fairfield Hills?

“I can start negotiating at any time, so before the box is checked, I will have a better idea of what the price will be,” said Mr Rosenthal, indicating that the price may be lower than expected, especially with all the contingencies he plans to build into it.

What if the town votes against Fairfield Hills, not because it doesn’t like the idea of owning it, but because doesn’t like the deal that was struck?

According to Mr Rosenthal, any “no” vote by the town would terminate the state’s offer.

What kind of pressure does the first selectman have from the Board of Education to move forward?

The Board of Education is looking to fast-track its proposed 5/6 school. However, Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed is now backing off his original statement that the school board needs to be site-specific within the next two months. There may be more time. Dr Reed said the school board does need to put the project out to bid by mid summer, but to prepare bid specifications, it must have a specific site – either Watertown Hall or Cochran House – no later than May.

“The Board of Education may be able to buy some time,” Mr Rosenthal said. The town only stands to lose $18,000 if it is not site specific within two months.”

That figure was originally reported to be in the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

What is the status of the state’s Phase II environmental study?

We’re still waiting for the state to stop “dilly dallying” on this, Mr Rosenthal said. That study, currently being done by a firm known as HRP, will help determine the levels of contamination in the soil. Mr Rosenthal is trying to ensure that the study looks into all of Newtown’s concerns.

The town’s own environmental consultant, Russell Bartlett, has already indicated that it would likely cost about $10 million to rid the buildings of asbestos and lead.

“If you demolish the buildings, you must abate them completely. If you don’t, then it is not as expensive,” Mr Rosenthal said. Renovation of the buildings is far cheaper from an environmental standpoint than demolishing them, he pointed out.

Council member Peggy Baiad is trying to organize a council tour of the Fairfield Hills buildings for later this month.

Mr Rosenthal predicts a final decision on Fairfield Hills will be made sometime this spring. The Fairfield Hills Advisory Committee is scheduled to report its formal recommendation by mid March. The Legislative Council will then have two months to complete its consideration of the proposals.