MUNICIPAL FACILITIES STUDY COMMITTEE
EAST WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2005
Chairman Rajala called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.
Present: Chairperson Judi Rajala, Members Mike Balf, Jim Barton, Betsy Burns, Richard Coville, Tim Howes, Gail Kement, Cal Myers, Len Norton, Linda Sinsigallo. Absent: Patty Briggs, Kevin Saunders
Minutes of August 24, 2005
Upon motion by Ms. Sinsigallo, seconded by Ms. Kement, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the minutes as presented.
Mr. Howes introduced Albert Ilg, retired town planner for Windsor CT.
Upon motion by Mr. Coville, seconded by Ms. Kement, it was unanimously voted to go out of order to hear Mr. Ilg’s presentation. He presented a book which detailed a major building project that Windsor had completed. It included statistics, debt service, revenues, and population trends.
The schools and town would submit plans to the CIP committee.
Mr. Ilg suggested that the committee contact the Metro Hartford Alliance, which should have up-to-date information that could be used. Other organizations that could help would be CROG, Office of Policy Management, CPEC, and State Department of Education.
Mr. Ilg emphasized that the committee would have to include the police, fire departments, schools, senior center, senior housing in its plans. You have to keep the townspeople informed of the plan; stress that the buildings are for the community--schools are not built for teachers; police departments aren’t built for the police, but for the entire community; be positive; stress town pride; include everything that needs to be addressed for the next six years; be realistic about the cost.
Should this committee make a list of what it feels is needed and then turn it over to the town to prioritize? Should the committee hire someone to do this?
The state will reimburse a new school, maybe a library. Maybe a school could be renovated for other uses.
The committee discussed debt service. Mr. Ilg told the committee not to be afraid of debt.--
as interest goes down, the town could start another project.
A questionnaire could be sent to every agency in town in which it asks questions about safety issues, the repairs that are needed to address them, the costs and how they came up with the costs. Someone would have to verify the costs. Agency could bring back a cost analysis. Feasibility study could be rolled into bond. Ms. Rajala will send the town planner an invitation to attend these committee meetings. Maybe the town planner could collect the questionnaires or maybe the committee could collect them. The committee could ask agency representatives to meetings and answer questions the committee might have.
The committee tabled discussion on request for proposals until Mr. Farrell is present.
The building moratorium passed 3 to 2. Building that had already been approved will still go on. Ms. Burns said the building commission wants to better define “open space”.
Ms. Rajala reminded the committee that they have an 18 month time frame.
Tim Egles will be guest at next meeting.
Future Meetings (4th Wednesday of the month): October 25, November 30, January 25, February 22, March 22, April 26, May 24, June 28
Upon motion by Ms. Kement, seconded by Ms. Burns, it was unanimously
VOTED: To adjourn at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Nolan
Recording Secretary
| 
