Marcia Chambers Photo
First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove is tackling two projects simultaneously — creating a Public Building Commission, and continuing to search for a site for the new public works facility.
Cosgrove last week presented a draft proposal for the new commission to the Rules and Ordinance Committee (see photo above) of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). The committee will continue to discuss the proposal before making a recommendation to the RTM; that will not occur this month. The RTM has jurisdiction over the creation of new ordinances.
For the past few years, the town has been grappling with the need for a new public works building, a new senior citizen center, and the renovation of Walsh Intermediate School and an elementary school. A new commission would take the forefront in all public building projects, including schools.
Also last week, Cosgrove asked the Board of Finance (BOF) for $7,500 to hire a consulting firm to review potential properties for a new public works building.
The Eagle asked Cosgrove why he is proceeding with the site search instead of waiting for the commission to be formed.
“It’s still the responsibility of the first selectman and the Board of Selectman (BOS) to initiate these projects,” Cosgrove said, adding that it will take time to form a commission.
Public Works has been housed in a temporary rental space on Route 139 since its North Main Street facility was torn down in March 2011 to make way for the new Fire Headquarters.
“I want to find a solution to the problems we created by having them in this [rental] facility,” Cosgrove said.
Cosgrove declined to say which properties will be evaluated or which consulting firm he plans to hire.
At a BOS meeting last May, Cosgrove recommended that four properties be evaluated. Click here to read that story. The properties suggested by Cosgrove at that time were: 20 Elm St., the site of Cherry Hill Glass, owned by Kevin O’Neill; a portion of 777 – 779 East Main St., the former Bittersweet Farm property, owned by Al Secondino and Michael Belfonti through their Bittersweet Partners LLC; 434 E. Main St., owned by the Giordano family through its Queach Corp.; and 142 Ivy St., owned by Alex Vigliotti through his Ivy Street LLC corporation.
Former First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos favored the Ivy Street location because it was located in the middle of town.
The Eagle asked Cosgrove if the new engineering firm will be evaluating those properties. Cosgrove said no decision has been made yet. “There’s a number of properties we could fit public works on,” he said, adding that officials need to decide which would be the most viable.
Cosgrove said once the new commission is formed, it will take over the public works project.
The Public Works Building Committee spent about three years searching for potential sites until it was disbanded last September. Click here to read about that. A consulting firm hired by the committee evaluated several properties before twice recommended using a small portion of the 77-acre town-owned Tabor Drive property. Cosgrove, who was third selectman at the time, voted against Tabor, and area residents opposed placing the facility in their neighborhood.
The consulting firm of Weston and Sampson engineers, which evaluated potential sites, issued a report of their findings in 2012. However, the committee said last year that additional funds would be required before the consultants could continue to evaluate additional properties.
When Tabor stalled, DaRos found an alternate site on Ivy Street. However, by early September, DaRos said it was apparent that no decision would be made until after the November election, after he retired and a new administration took over. (Click here to read that story.) DaRos suggested forming a standing building commission that would oversee all the town’s building projects. Cosgrove and former Second Selectman Andy Campbell also favored a standing commission, but no vote was taken at that time.
FINANCING THE SEARCH
Cosgrove discussed the site search at the Jan. 27 Board of Finance (BOF) meeting, where he requested the funding for consultant services.
“This has been a lengthy process the last couple of years,” Cosgrove told the BOF. “You all know what sites are out there. This is essentially a matter of taking a look at a particular site … and get their review of the sites and .. some information about it and obstacles about developing different sites.”
BOF member Kurt Schwanfelder (pictured left) asked Cosgrove how many viable sites are being considered. Cosgrove said there are about a half-dozen.
Schwanfelder also asked Cosgrove why he isn’t using the town’s engineering department instead of hiring an outside firm. “I am not quite sure what the $7,500 is really going to get us,” he said.
Cosgrove said he didn’t want to “tie up” the town’s engineering department. He said it is valuable to spend some money to get an evaluation of the sites.
“There are some significant challenges to these sites,” Cosgrove said, adding that he wants a consultant , specifically a civil engineer, to give a recommendation to the BOS.
BOF member Charlie Shelton said Cosgrove should have the flexibility to hire consulting services.
The motion was unanimously approved.
Following the meeting, Cosgrove told the Eagle that wetlands and stormwater runoff are some of the biggest challenges on the sites.
NEW COMMISSION
The Rules and Ordinances Committee (R&O) is deliberating Cosgrove’s request to create a Public Building Commission. He presented a four-page draft at the Jan. 31 meeting which was modeled on an ordinance from the town of Cheshire. He said similar ordinances from other towns are also available.
Cosgrove spoke about the importance of having a commission that will oversee all new construction and renovation projects for public buildings.
“I really want us to focus on this,” he told the R&O Committee, which consists of four Republicans and three Democrats. He asked the members to read the draft and ask him questions or make suggestions before the Feb. 18 committee meeting. The proposal also has to be reviewed by town counsel before it goes to the RTM for deliberation.
“It is a long process as many of you who have served on this committee know,” Cosgrove said in regard to creating a new ordinance.
Cosgrove said the new commission wouldn’t “take away any of the responsibility from the Board of Selectmen, RTM and Board of Finance. That is still there.” Click here to read a story about the BOF evaluating costs.
Republican Richard Greenalch, Jr. who chairs R&O, asked about the scope of the new commission’s responsibilities.
Cosgrove said the draft proposal spells out the responsibilities but that all decisions and recommendations go to the town’s regulatory boards.
R&O member Maggie Bruno asked if the new commission will require more “back and forth” and affect the time frame for projects.
Cosgrove said the new commission “will be more efficient” and provide better oversight. The draft ordinance does not state the length of term for commission members. At the R & O meeting Cosgrove told the Eagle he thought terms would run between three and four years.
The Eagle later asked Cosgrove when the new commission might be approved. “It all falls in the hands of the RTM,” he said. “I would hope it could be in the next couple months.”
According to the draft, the commission would have nine permanent members, appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Temporary members could be added for specific projects. Members would have expertise in areas such architecture, engineering, finance, construction and law.
The commission would be responsible for overseeing the design of a project, development of cost estimates, bidding and construction. It may also be responsible for site selection and feasibility studies, if requested by the BOS. Contracts for consultants and construction companies must be approved by the town’s regulatory boards.
The draft states that the BOS and the town’s finance director would be responsible for establishing the general criteria, including maximum budget, for a building project that is assigned to the commission.
Marcia Chambers contributed reporting from the meetings.
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