New Haven Independent

John Opie, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Anthony “Unk” DaRos, said that sharing fire and police services with neighboring towns could save money. “This is a job for the selectmen to see what is practical,” Opie said, adding that regional safety services may or may not be feasible. “There’s no problem in discussing these things.”

DaRos disagreed with regionalizing police and fire departments, stating it is important to keep the stations in town where the call volume is the heaviest. He did, however, say that a central dispatch office for adjacent towns might be practical.

DaRos, who was first selectman from 1997 to 2003 and from 2007 to the present, is seeking his fifth term in office and Opie, who is seeking his second term in the top slot, expressed their views at a debate Thursday night at the Blackstone Memorial Library. The event, which drew about 50 people, was sponsored by the Branford Chamber of Commerce and AT&T. Marcia Chambers, editor of the Branford Eagle, served as moderator.

This was the final debate of what has been a low-keyed election campaign. Residents were reminded of the importance of voting on Tuesday. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to find out where you vote.

DaRos said he has been meeting with leaders from Guilford, Madison and Clinton to discuss mutual concerns. For example, he said they have been discussing ways to address energy problems using a regional approach, instead of each town tackling the issue individually.

Opie said it would be important to partner with towns that have similar issues. For example, he said Branford joined forces with North Branford regarding animal control problems since they both had similar perspectives.

The two men also had differing views on ways to improve tourism.

DaRos said he would like Branford and the shoreline towns to form an alliance to promote tourism instead of relying on the state tourism bureau. “I think we should break away and start a shoreline town’s tourism bureau,” he said.

Opie said he didn’t think a separate bureau would be necessary. He said he is working on a plan to promote the Thimble Islands, which he views as the town’s main tourist attraction. He said parking in Stony Creek, where both he and DaRos live, is problematic for tourists taking tour boats around the islands. “We, as a town, should figure out how to make it work without bombarding them with traffic.”

A member of the Chamber of Commerce submitted a question regarding ways to jump start a plan to attract new businesses to Branford.

Opie said that type of planning would be a function of the town’s Economic Development Commission. “That would be one of my charges to them,” he said, adding that it is important for the EDC to work with the Chamber of Commerce to attract business.

DaRos said the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development, which was formulated last year, “was meant to do exactly that.” He said a survey initiated by the POCD is studying the types of businesses that would be likely to come to Branford. “That will certainly make a difference in town,” he said, in regard to the survey’s findings.

Each candidate was asked how the town would pay for the Tabor land judgment if the town were to lose its case now before the Connecticut Supreme Court. In addition, they were asked which town projects would be put on hold while awaiting the decision. The judgment against the town started out at $12.4 million for a case brought by would be developers. A judge ruled that the town owed the owners of the 77 acre tract $4.6 million on January 6, 2004, the day the town formally seized the property under eminent domain law. Opie was in office at that time, but the DaRos administration started the Tabor eminent domain process. The costs for both the developer’s case and the owners’ cases have risen because of interest and legal fees.

DaRos, who has voiced optimism that Branford will win the case, said that town leaders have been preparing for the worst as part of a risk management scenario. He said the town has been paying down its debt and that, most importantly, they will have more time to do so. DaRos said town leaders lobbied for legislative relief from a state statute requiring bond balances be repaid in 15 years. Due to those efforts, the time has been extended to 20 years.

Opie said he estimates the total debt for Tabor, if the case is lost, would be close to $30 million. He said his approach would be to keep the debt service as small as possible and to be cautious with capital expenses.. During his summation, he likened the impending Tabor decision to the saga of the voyage of the Titanic. “There’s an iceberg out there with Tabor written on it,” he warned.

DaRos said capital projects will be put on hold until the decision is rendered. “There’s no point in doing anything until we know our debt,” he said.

However, DaRos said preliminary designs are being drafted for a new Fire Department headquarters that will be built whenever funds are available. “That building over there should have been abandoned 20 years ago,” he said. “If you don’t plan on these things, you don’t have a chance of ever getting them done.”

A question from the audience asked each candidate what he would have done differently in regard to the Tabor property.

“I wouldn’t do anything any different,” DaRos said, but added, “If I knew it was going to end up in this mess, I would have never gotten out of office.”

Opie said if he could have foreseen the future, he might have suggested the Representative Town Meeting offer $4.5 million to purchase the property outright instead of the $1.2 million offered the original landowners. Had that happened there might not have been a court case. “If I had a crystal ball, it would have been wonderful,” Opie said.

The two candidates also fielded questions on the Strategic Review Committee, promoting business in the Town Center, and accomplishments during their reign as first selectman.

“I’m running on my record and I’m happy to do so,” DaRos said in his summation. “The town is being well-managed.”

Opie concluded by stating that fiscal responsibility will be his watchword. “We need to keep a watchful eye on our discretionary spending.”

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