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NOTICE OF SPECIAL TOWN MEETING – May 9, 2016
AND REFERENDUM – May 16, 2016
A special town meeting of the electors and citizens qualified to vote in town meetings of the Town of North Stonington, Connecticut, will be held in the North Stonington Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room, 311 Norwich Westerly Road, North Stonington on 9th day, May, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. for the following purposes:
1. To consider and vote upon a resolution,
(a) to appropriate $38,550,000 for costs with respect to the design, construction, equipping, and furnishing of a new Wheeler Middle/High School addition and renovation to the Gymatorium and an addition and renovations to North Stonington Elementary School, demolition of portions of the existing Wheeler Middle and High School, and other improvements to be used for the North Stonington Board of Education Central Office. The projects are contemplated to be completed substantially as follows:
WHEELER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION AND RENOVATIONS TO THE GYMATORIUM: (1) an approximately 44,250 square feet two level addition at the Gymatorium on the west side of Route 2, to house the new Wheeler Middle/High School that will accommodate: classrooms, science labs, art studios, graphic and CADD labs, Special Education classrooms and support spaces, a multipurpose space to support the chorus program, business labs and classrooms, a cafeteria and servery, media center, student and faculty toilets and infrastructure spaces for circulation, storage and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; (2) Improvements within the existing gymatorium building will include: the renovation of the gymnasium including storage, locker rooms, public toilets, stage
and a lobby/circulation space, administrative offices, nurse/health clinic, offices and the band room and related storage and practice rooms; (3) various building systems improvements including: replacement of all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protections systems and infrastructure; security and communication systems upgrades; energy conservation improvements including exterior wall, door, window, and roof replacement or updates; central air conditioning system installation throughout the building; and installation of an emergency generator and alternative energy systems; (4) various code and ADA compliance improvements and renovations; (5) various site improvements including: septic system, separation of the bus/parent/student vehicular traffic circulation, and additional parking; (6) related improvements and work.
ADDITION AND RENOVATIONS TO THE NORTH STONINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: (1) an approximately 2,600 square feet addition at the elementary school to accommodate the reconfiguration of central kitchen, servery, cafeteria, multipurpose room/stage, and instructional programs; (2) improvements within the existing building will include: reconfiguring the gymnasium including storage, offices, student/public toilets, a lobby/circulation space, fully renovated classrooms and handicapped accessible toilets in the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms; relocation of the art, music and technology program in a fully renovated space; relocation renovations and improvements of the media center and special education programs; renovations associated with the nurse/health clinic, administrative
and guidance offices; and expansion and renovation of the cafeteria and kitchen; (3) various building systems improvements including replacement of all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protections systems and infrastructure; security and communication systems upgrades; energy conservation improvements including exterior wall, door, window, and roof replacement or updates; central air conditioning system installation throughout the building; and installation of an emergency generator and alternative energy systems; (4) various code and ADA compliance improvements and renovations; (5) various site improvements including separation of the bus/parent/student/parking and vehicular traffic circulation; accessibility to all site facilities; pavement resurfacing; physical education; and building access improvements; updating the site utility and drainage infrastructure; (6) all HAZMAT remediation; and (7) related improvements and work.
DEMOLITION OF PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING WHEELER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO BE USED FOR THE NORTH STONINGTON BOARD OF EDUCATION CENTRAL OFFICE: (1) all demolition and HAZMAT remediation of portions of the existing Wheeler Middle/High school located on the east side of Route 2 comprising the 1950s and 1960s building along with the boiler room, kitchen and cafeteria spaces; and (2) removal and replacement of the roof in the area comprising the current main entry, the main office, media center, art room, classrooms up to the corridor leading to the elevator in the two story wing of the high school portion of the old Wheeler Middle /High School, to be used for the North Stonington Board of Education Central Office; (3) all HAZMAT remediation
related to the roof replacement; and (4) related improvements and work.
provided that: (1) prior to the receipt by the Town of a written grant commitment from the State of Connecticut for eligible cost of the projects, no portion of the appropriation in excess of $1,590,000 shall be expended on costs of the projects, and such expenditures shall be limited to costs for the development of the projects, including but not limited to
architectural, engineering, consultant, and other professional fees including legal fees, administrative costs including costs related to the application for and acceptance of grants, and the payment of net temporary interest and other financing costs; and (2) prior to the receipt by the Town of a written grant commitment from the State of Connecticut for not less than 46.07% of the fully eligible costs of the projects (subject to adjustment for State per pupil maximum space standards), no portion of the appropriation shall be expended on the
construction of the projects.
The appropriation may be spent for design, construction, acquisition, installation and demolition costs, site improvements, infrastructure improvements, equipment, furnishings, materials, architectural, engineering, consultant, and other professional fees including legal fees, administrative costs, including costs related to the application for and acceptance of grants, the payment of net temporary interest and other financing costs and other expenses related to the projects or their financing. The Ad Hoc School Building Committee for the School Facilities Modernization Project established by the Town’s Board of Selectmen and the Town Meeting for the projects (the “Ad Hoc School Building Committee”) shall determine the final scope and particulars of the projects. The Ad Hoc School Building Committee
may reduce or modify the scope of the projects if funds are not sufficient to complete all of the projects, and the appropriation may be spent on the projects as so reduced or modified. The Town anticipates applying for and receiving a grant from the State Department of Education to defray in part eligible costs of the projects;
(b) to authorize the issue bonds or notes of the Town in an amount not to exceed $38,550,000 to finance the appropriation, the amount of bonds or notes authorized to be issued to be reduced by the amount of grants received by the Town for the projects to the extent not separately appropriated to defray additional costs of the projects; to authorize the First Selectman and the Treasurer of the Town to determine the amounts, dates, interest rates, maturities, redemption provisions, form and other details of the bonds or notes; and to perform all other acts which are necessary or appropriate to issue the bonds or notes; to take such action to allow temporary advances of available funds which the Town reasonably expects will be reimbursed from the proceeds of borrowings; and to
authorize the First Selectman and the Treasurer to bind the Town pursuant to such representations and covenants as they deem necessary or advisable in order to maintain the continued exemption from federal income taxation of interest on the bonds or notes authorized by the resolution if issued on a tax-exempt basis, including covenants to pay rebates of investment earnings to the United States in future years; and to authorize the First Selectman and the Treasurer to make representations and enter into written agreements for the benefit of holders of the bonds or notes to provide secondary market disclosure information, which agreements may include such terms as they deem advisable or appropriate in order to comply with applicable laws or rules pertaining to the sale or purchase of such bonds or notes;
(c) to authorize the Ad Hoc School Building Committee to act as the school building committee for the projects and to approve design and construction expenditures for the projects; to authorize the Board of Selectmen to contract with architects, engineers, contractors, construction managers, and others in the name and on behalf of the Town as necessary or desirable to implement the projects; and to authorize the Board of Education to apply to the State of Connecticut Commissioner of Education for, and to accept or reject, grants for the projects; and
(d) to authorize the First Selectman, the Treasurer, the Board of Education, the Ad Hoc School Building Committee, and other proper officers and officials of the Town to take all other action which is necessary or desirable to complete the projects and to issue bonds or notes and temporary notes and obtain grants to finance the aforesaid appropriation.
2. Pursuant to Section 7_7 of the General Statutes of Connecticut, Revision of 1958, as amended, to adjourn said town meeting at its conclusion and to submit the resolution to be presented under item 1 of this notice to vote upon voting machines or paper ballots between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. on 16th day, May, 2016. Electors and persons qualified to vote in town meetings who are not electors shall vote at the following polling place:
Town of North Stonington
New Town Hall
40 Main Street, North Stonington, Connecticut
Absentee ballots will be available from the Town Clerk’s office. The resolutions will be placed on the ballots under the following heading:
“SHALL THE TOWN OF NORTH STONINGTON APPROPRIATE $38,550,000 FOR A NEW WHEELER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION AND RENOVATIONS TO THE WHEELER GYMATORIUM; AND FOR AN ADDITION AND RENOVATIONS TO NORTH STONINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; AND FOR THE DEMOLITION OF PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING WHEELER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL, WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ROOF AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO BE USED FOR THE NORTH STONINGTON BOARD OF EDUCATION CENTRAL OFFICE; AND AUTHORIZE THE ISSUE OF BONDS AND NOTES TO FINANCE THE PORTION OF SUCH APPROPRIATION NOT DEFRAYED FROM GRANTS?”
Voters approving the resolution will vote “Yes” and those opposing said resolution will vote “No.”
Dated at North Stonington, Connecticut, this ~28th~~ day of April, 2016.
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Shawn P. Murphy, First Selectman Nicholas H. Mullane, II, Selectman
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Mark Donahue, Selectman Norma J. Holliday, Town Clerk
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