MUNICIPAL FACILITIES STUDY COMMITTEE
EAST WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
MINUTES OF JUNE 22, 2005
Chairman Rajala called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.
Present: Chairperson Judi Rajala, Members Mike Balf, Tim Howes, Gail Kement, Cal Myers, Len Norton, Linda Sinsigallo
Minutes of May 25, 2004
Upon motion by Ms. Sinsigallo, seconded by Ms. Kement, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the minutes as presented.
Ms. Rajala presented information from Planning and Zoning regarding approved building applications from April through June.
Linda Nolan will e-mail summary from the school walk-through to Ms. Rajala.
Mr. Howes said that there is no doubt that the fire station on Stoughton Road is in need of repair.
Mr. Norton reported that $500,000 was budgeted for renovations to the police station. Heating and air conditioning work at the police station would cost $128,000 and $150,000 for electrical work. There is no money to replace the windows as planned. All of the work is very expensive. A member said that the building was built as a school--it is not a police station and it will never be a police station.
Ms. Sinsigallo said she noticed that the EW Middle School walls were dirty. Mr. Howes responded that the average school custodian in the state has 22,000 square feet to maintain. An East Windsor Public Schools’ custodian has 38,000 to 40,000 square feet to maintain. He added that over the past three years, the district has taken steps to do more preventive maintenance.
Mr. Norton commented that with the current budget climate in town, it would be difficult getting a new building built. Mr. Myers said that current town property must be maintained and kept up to code. Ms. Rajala agreed that if this committee doesn’t try to make a difference, the condition of existing buildings will just get worse. Mr. Myers said the committee should press on, but must be realistic about the cost of renovations and building. They agreed that getting prices for the work is beyond the scope of the committee.
Ms. Kement said that the senior center is another building that needs attention.
Ms. Sinsigallo suggested that the committee make the community aware of what it is trying to do. Ms. Rajala asked them to think about what they want to accomplish in the next six months.
Mr. Howes said that he and Dr. Gallucci had met with two population consultants from CREC. East Windsor’s school population is “creeping” up. East Windsor has a lot of undeveloped land. It was agreed that, if at all possible, an official population study be done and the study assessed every two years, but that could cost thousands of dollars. Mr. Howes and Ms. Rajala reported that the New England School Development Council (NESDEC) completes a school enrollment projection every year. It has shown that the schools should be in its third year of declining enrollment, which is not the case. The committee discussed the 150 acres that the town purchased last year and that the vote demonstrated that voters did not want houses built on that property.
The 2004 Planning of Conservation and Development Report by the town and Planimetrics will be very helpful as a starting point. Ms. Rajala said she would get copies of the full report for the committee.
Ms. Rajala asked committee members to assess buildings and complete a one page information sheet that shows the name and address of the building, when it was built, whether it was built for the same purpose it is currently being used, if renovations have been done or are planned and when, what the needs are now and the future. Mr. Howes will prepare a template to be used and send it to committee members. Ms. Sinsigallo, with Betsy Burns, will complete a sheet for the police station, human services offices and registrar’s office at the annex; Cal Myers, Broad Brook fire department and senior center; Patty Briggs, park and recreation facilities.
Jim Barton Jr. and Harry Daniel entered the meeting at 8:00 p.m.
When all the data is received and assessed, the committee would present its recommendations to the public at a forum.
Future meetings will be held on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
July 27, August 24, September 28
Meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.
Upon motion by Mr. Balf, seconded by Ms. Sinsigallo, it was unanimously
VOTED: To adjourn at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Nolan
Recording Secretary
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