After the previous Boards of Selectmen and Finance, and the Legislative Council all committed to sending the town's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) back for review and possible modification by newly elected officials, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal reactivated the process by making a number of suggested changes during a December 18 regular meeting.The Newtown Bee that he was mainly concerned with proposed projects and their related funding or bonding in the 2018-2019 fiscal cycle, which begins July 1.

Those adjustments, which were not all unanimously well-received, were nonetheless approved and sent forward to the Board of Finance for review and recommendation, before going back to the new council for consideration in early January.

Prior to the meeting, Mr Rosenthal told 

When all was said and done, the selectmen supported the following changes to the capital plan for next fiscal year:

*The board agreed to bump up the capital road program by $500,000, increasing the funding to $3.5 million - of which $1.5 million will be funded by bonding and $2 million will be funded by the general fund.

*Reduce and zero out the bridge replacement program by $400,000, with the understanding that the 2017-18 CIP bridge allocation is still to be appropriated, and a current bridge project on Toddy Hill Road will keep public works busy enough so that funding for other future bridge projects could be delayed into the 2019-20 capital planning cycle.

*The amount of $50,000 previously earmarked funds for an Edmond Town Hall bathroom project to complete conformity for handicap access was also zeroed out. Funding for this project will now be drawn from the capital nonrecurring request in the 2018-19 budget.

*Capital funding for additional Edmond Town Hall theater renovations was reduced down to zero from $252,000. Mr Rosenthal explained that $571,000 earmarked for improvements at the Main Street facility have not yet been appropriated, and the first selectman committed to recommending that appropriation be authorized and delivered to the Board of Managers as soon as possible.

He suggested the trustees consider reallocating that $571,000 to underwrite the most pressing priorities. To accomplish that, the current year's CIP would have to be amended. Proposed capital funding for all additional Edmond Town Hall project in year 1, 2, 4, and 5 in the CIP will be moved forward - year 1 to year 2; year 2 to year 4 and year 5 out to the next CIP.

*Selectmen agreed to change the current CIP description of Fairfield Hills "building remediation/demolition/infrastructure," to "building/land purchase/remediation/demolition/infrastructure." Mr Rosenthal believes this will provide maximum flexibility in the event a Fairfield Hills location is defined for a future police headquarters, or if officials eventually determine a separate parcel will be acquired upon which to construct a new police headquarters.

*A brownfields remediation/repurposing allocation for town-owned parcels at 7 and 28A Glen Road was increased by $450,000, bringing the amount to $650,000. The "Brownfields remediation/repurposing-7/28A Glen road" project description was also changed to "Brownfields remediation/repurposing-7/28A Glen road/open space." This language change also creates flexibility in the event the town either needs funds for matching grants, or is presented with an attractive open space land purchase proposal, the first selectman explained.

*Finally, funding for proposed Eichler's Cove improvements (Phase II) was changed from a combination of $200,000 in bonding and $200,000 from the Eichler's Cove special fund to $400,000 all coming from the Eichler's special revenue fund. The special revenue fund is estimated to have $470,000 in fund balance at the end of fiscal year 2017-18, and Mr Rosenthal said he prefers to see improvements to a facility used by selected residents be paid for by users, versus by all taxpayers.

Additional CIP earmarks for the planned permanent memorial in the amount of $250,000 was carried without adjustment. A motion by Selectman Maureen Crick Owen to zero out a $350,000 allocation for improvements and maintenance at the Booth Library was withdrawn after Selectman Jeff Capeci and Library Board Chairman Robert Geckle both made a case to keep the funding intact.

Mr Geckle said the already approved $273,000 in the 2017-18 CIP was not only counted on for leaking roofs, but for an elevator renovation, walkway, and parking lot repairs.

"These building issues are here, real, and present - this is a town-owned facility," Mr Geckle said, adding that he did not understand setting aside funds for open space that is yet to be identified or proposed for acquisition.

"All these things proposed in the 2018 CIP are clear and present dangers, they don't go to 2019 and 2020," he said of the first selectman's proposal to bump the projects out to future years. "We've spent capital funds for work already done. It's not realistic to pass it off - why worry about [possible land acquisitions] when the roof is leaking? We're trying to maintain the library as an important entity for the town... a beloved entity."

Mr Capeci noted that $190,000 in the 2018-19 CIP is earmarked to repair existing roof leaks, and noted that leaks from both the roof and burst sprinkler pipes have closed the library. He said it is important for the town to maintain the library's upkeep, and the more trustees defer repairs and maintenance, the higher the risk of more costly damage.

"This [library] board has strategically planned maintenance, and their work dovetails with economic development activities," he said. "They've done all this planning and now we are going to disrupt it? They have need for maintenance, and I would not want to penalize them after they laid out a plan and are executing it."

Mr Capeci went as far as saying the library board's careful planning should be an example for all municipal departments and others who depend on taxpayer bonding to pay for capital projects.