Diana Stricker Photo
Branford took a significant step forward Wednesday as five members of the newly created Public Building Commission held their organizational meeting at the Community House.
Peter Banca was elected chairman and was heartily congratulated by First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove. (See photo above.) Banca, a Democrat, is a former town treasurer who has had a long career in the banking and finance industry.
Banca told the Eagle after the meeting that the commission is very aware of the potential building projects that the town is facing. “The commission will be looking forward to helping the town get the most for its money,” he said.
The task of the commission is to manage and oversee projects assigned to it by the first selectman. Creating a building commission was one of Cosgrove’s goals during his first year in office. The Representative Town Meeting voted last June in favor of an ordinance establishing a commission, and Cosgrove made the appointments last month. Click here to read about that.
Branford is facing three major public building projects — - a new public works building, a new senior center, and a multi-million school renovation project that includes Walsh Intermediate School and the former Branford Hills Elementary School. All the projects have been in the talking stages for several years.
Cosgrove told the Eagle after the meeting that he is not yet ready to say which project he will assign first to the commission. “The three projects we talked about are priorities,” he said.
Earlier this month, Cosgrove told the Commission on Elderly Services that he plans to announce conceptual plans and a location for a new senior center in a few weeks. He said last night that consulting architect Sandra Vlock is still working on the plans.
Cosgrove also told the Eagle that there was nothing new to report on the search for a new public works building. “It is a priority,” he said. “It’s a situation that needs to be addressed.”
In addition to the five regular members, two additional temporary members may be added for a specific project.
The commission voted last night to meet the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. A location has not yet been selected.
Paul Cianci, an engineer, was elected secretary. Cianci became well-known in Branford last year when he ran for a legislative seat in the 102nd District last year, but lost to Democratic incumbent Lonnie Reed.
The other members of the commission are James Killelea, an attorney and a long-time member of the Inland Wetlands Commission; Marci Palluzzi, a realtor who has a degree in landscape architecture and is a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission; and Leonard Tamsin, a construction manager and a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The political make-up of the board is mixed: Banca and Killelea are Democrats; Palluzzi and Cianci are Republicans; and Tamsin is unaffiliated.
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