The Board of Finance held a special meeting with the Board of Education on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 in the meeting room at the C. H. Booth Library, Main Street, Newtown, CT. Board of Education Chairman Elaine McClure called the Board of Education portion of the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: John Kortze, James Gaston, Michael Portnoy, Harrison Waterbury, John Torok, Joseph Kearney
ALSO PRESENT: Board of Education members Elaine McClure, Lisa Schwartz, David Nanavaty, Tom Gissen, Andrew Buzzi, Schools Superintendent Dr. Evan Pitkoff, Asst. Supt. Alice Jackson, Schools Business Manager Ron Bienkowski, approximately 20 members of public, one member of press
VOTER PARTICIPATION: Ms. Po Murray, 38 Charter Ridge Drive, read a lengthy statement (copy not given to this clerk). She pointed out that at the last meeting, a Board of Finance member stated their role is similar to that of a financial advisor who would tell a client what can be afforded. Her advisor focuses mainly on planning and growing her assets so she can grow more in the future. Someone needs to plan for this growing town. The town leaders have made short term decision on spending and many projects have been delayed.
Ms. Ruby Johnson, 16 Chestnut Hill Road, gave handouts to the Board of Finance members, outlining a study she did on population growth. The birth rate has not changed in a 4-5 year period. “We don’t do anything until we get to an emergency.” She urges members to think differently. We are expecting a downturn in enrollment. That is the time to take care of it. The high school is too small to build on to. We need an academy as suggested by the former schools superintendent. She feels the town should not be a developer by appropriating money for a technology park. We should not spend any more money for economic development and allocate no more funds for Fairfield Hills until there is an
“approved” master plan.
Ms. Desiree Galassi, 151 Huntingtown Road, attended a tour of the high school with other parents from Middle Gate School. She wants to know how the parking situation will be addressed with an addition. You can’t find parking now and there is only one way in and out of the parking lot. The hallways are crowded between classes. She is also concerned about the space for teacher preparation. The school should be expanded for the “high” projections because we can always use the space.
Mr. Gissen then made a statement regarding a recent letter in The Bee from a member of the Board of Education stating that the letter did not reflect the opinions of all members of this Board and that he disagreed with the content and tone of the letter.
The Board of Education then continued with their portion of the meeting (see Board of Education minutes).
High School Expansion / Bothwell Projections
The new Bothwell Report was made available for everyone (hard copy attached to original minutes). Dr. Pitkoff pointed out that the updated enrollment figures for 2014 is 2,022 for a “high” projection and 1,903 for a “mid”, which is a drop of approximately 115 students. The Board of Education is now recommending we expand the high school to the revised “high” projections (which were the “mid” numbers in last year’s projections). Dr. Pitkoff did check with the state’s “high” projections of 2,125 and was informed that that number would also be eligible for reimbursement.
Mr. Gaston stated that if we build the high school expansion for 2,100, other school needs such as the Hawley School HVAC may have to be postponed. He asked the Board of Education if the high school expansion were built for $47 million and Hawley gets pushed out 4 to 5 years, is that more acceptable than building the high school expansion to 1,900 and then in 9-10 years readdress the high school if necessary? Mr. Buzzi stated that he feels that question was answered when the Board of Education submitted the CIP requests in prioritized form. When asked for each member’s opinion on this question, Mr. Buzzi replied that the Board of Education speaks as a whole, not individually, and that there was one member not present this evening. Mr. Gissen
replied that the high school is the most important project. He feels that the only way to cut back on the high school expansion is by reducing number of classrooms being added. His position is that everything should go through as proposed. The high school is #1. It would be foolhardy to do anything that involved cutting back on the major spaces proposed. We would need to keep the major spaces at the high school but if possible to cut back classrooms, to be added later.
Mr. Nanavaty would hate to see the Hawley project go out five years. He feels we should be looking at Fairfield Hills money that has not yet been borrowed. He feels the high school should be presented to the voters the way it is. He believes 1-2 years for the Hawley project might be realistic.
Mr. Buzzi stated that we have spent $300,000 on the Hawley project and he does not want to let that go. He feels Hawley will increase each year it is delayed. He still feels we should build the high school expansion to the “high” number because that is the responsible thing to do with taxpayer money. It is worth incurring increased costs for Hawley in order to get a larger high school project now.
Ms. Schwartz stated that the board made the decision to prioritize the high school project as the #1 issue. If that results in delays for other projects, it is not unanticipated by her.
Ms. McClure stated that they had planned for the high school in 2009. It was the decision of the Board of Finance for 2010. If the Charter is changed (regarding how the town can control surplus), then we should be able to go above the 10% bonding limit without hurting our rating. She would like to build the high school expansion to the “high” number.
Mr. Buzzi pointed out that all five members present basically said the same thing – to build the high school to the “high” projection even though it would delay the Hawley project further.
At 9:55 p.m., the Board of Education adjourned their meeting and a five minute recess was taken. At 10:00 pm, Board of Finance Chairman John Kortze called the special Board of Finance meeting to order.
Chairman Kortze advised that on Wednesday, December 13, the Board of Finance will get together one hour earlier than the scheduled meeting with the Legislative Council. Times to be announced.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Kortze received a copy of a letter from Mr. Paul Mangiafico that was published in The Bee. All Finance members also received an e-mail outlining the financial impact of the teacher’s contract.
Finance Director Ben Spragg distributed charts outlining the effect of borrowing using three scenarios suggested by Board of Finance members. The first scenario, suggested by Mr. Gaston, shows borrowing exceeding the 10% cap only in 2009. His proposal funds the high school expansion at $47.8 million and removes the following: a pumper fire truck for Dodgingtown, Engine 441 for Sandy Hook FD, design of Police Building Improvements and Renovations, the animal shelter, Police Building Improvements and Renovations, design of fire facilities and training tower, Sandy Hook School HVAC, the fire facilities and training tower, the Middle Gate HVAC, the Middle School roof, the Middle School HVAC, and the design of the Middle School Auditorium/Cafeteria.
Mr. Portnoy pointed out that there are plenty of interest groups in town that need attention. It is his personal opinion that we should not build one major project to the detriment of many other projects. His scenario is to scale back the high school project which would allow other projects to move forward. His scenario shows $38 million for the high school for a projected 1,989 students. The graph shows borrowing staying close to the 10% cap each year.
The third scenario was prepared by Mr. Spragg and has bonding well below the 10% bonding cap each year. This scenario leaves the high school at $47 million and eliminates the Community Center/Senior Center/Pool design, the P&R Maintenance facility renovation design, the Hawley HVAC, the Community Center/Senior Center/Pool construction, the Police Dept. Renovation design, the P&R maintenance facility renovation, the artificial turf at Treadwell, the baseball field lights, the police dept. renovations, the SH Center Streetscape, the fire training tower design, the Sandy Hook HVAC, the Middle School roof, the fire facilities and tower, the Sandy Hook HVAC, the Middle Gate HVAC, the Middle School HVAC, and the Middle School auditorium design
Mr. Gaston feels we will get to the 2,100 student number in the high school within 9-10 years so we should go with the $47 million high school. Regarding the fire trucks, he does not feel we should be bonding for rolling capital. Mr. Kortze stated that he agrees with getting more projects done.
Having no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
Jan Andras, Clerk
Attachments: Bothwell Report
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