$48 million sewer project on Ridgefield ballot next month
RIDGEFIELD — The project itself may be months away, but officials hope an OK from voters in November will let a $48 million sewer upgrade move forward in time to secure financial help from the state.
Voters will be asked to approve the funds needed for a plan to combine the town’s two wastewater treatment facilities into one plant and upgrade it to meet new state and federal guidelines.
The Election Day vote will allow the town to meet the required timeline — securing a construction contract by July — to have state grants cover about $11.5 million of the project. Increased sewer rates for those on the systems and $8 million from the general taxpayers will make up the remaining $37.5 million.
The cost of the project, and plans to maintain the current capacity for the wastewater treatment system, have concerned residents, with some people pledging to vote against the plan next month. First Selectman Rudy Marconi said the Water Pollution Control Authority, which created the plan, and its engineers and consultants have told him it’s “crunch time” for a vote so they can finish plans in time for the July deadline. “That’s why we’re hoping for approval,” he said. “If this fails, we are going to have to do something to come up with a new number and have another referendum. The question is: Will it allow us to stay on schedule? We could lose close to $12 million.”
The project, which will not increase the sewer system’s capacity, will close the Route 7 facility and instead pump the 120,000 gallons it treats per day to the South Street facility through a three-mile pipe. The decades-old South Street station, which now treats 1 million gallons per day, will be upgraded with new equipment to handle the extra gallons, improve nitrogen removal and meet the state’s new restrictions on phosphorus removal.
Officials have been working on the plan for several years and say it is the most cost effective way to meet the restrictions imposed by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in 2008. It will also provide needed upgrades to the plants, which are both decades old, officials said.
Finances
But some residents, including those who spoke at a recent hearing, said they plan to vote no because of remaining questions they have about the project, most notably its financing.
Residents outside the sewer district contend that they are being “double-charged” because of the $8 million portion of the project that will be covered by the town’s tax base over its 20-year bond. The $8 million will translate to about $27 on a tax bill “I had to pay for my $25,000 septic system, but now they want me to pay for the sewer,” said John Mcnicholas, who was at the hearing. “Their argument is that the town has so much to offer, but they forgot to say...the town has a lot to offer because I diligently pay my taxes. Now you’re asking me to pay for someone else’s bill?”
Marconi, though, said this argument is similar to those who gripe about paying for the schools if they don’t have children in the system.
Maintaining the sewer system, which serves much of Ridgefield’s downtown, is necessary to keep up the parts of town that benefit all residents and attract new people to town, adding to property values, he said.
“Everyone in town uses the facilities — restaurants, businesses, libraries, schools, art facilities, our fields — and that’s why we would look to the town to support $8 million,” he said. “We want to be sure we’re treating and releasing clean water into the environment, that’s why we’re doing this, and everyone needs to share in that responsibility.”
Another resident who said he plans to vote no, Bob Cascella, said he understands this argument, but thinks $8 million is too much to ask. He added that unlike sewer customers, residents outside the district do not receive help from the town in costly maintenance for their septic systems.
Uncertainty over details
Other financial concerns included what would happen if the state money fell through and the fact that interest rates for the project are not included in the referendum question.
But Marconi said interest rates are never included in capital project referendums and that the town is “as sure as sure can be at this point” that the state will follow through with its commitment for the funds.
Cascella and Mcnicholas also both worried that running the three-mile pipe to the new station would cause disruptions on residential roads.
The Water Pollution Control Authority decided to combine the stations, Marconi said, because running the pipe from Route 7 to South Street was less costly than upgrading both plants.
Residents have also asked why the project will not increase capacity for the system. Marconi said a study showed that the current capacity can handle the town’s projected development over the next 20 years, but Cascella argues this is nearly impossible to predict.
New technology, new zoning or unforeseen large development proposals could change things, he said.“That means we’re now locked for any type of commercial growth,” he said. “It makes no sense to lock yourself out like that.”
Other projects
Ridgefield is one of five communities scheduled to receive state assistance, which will come from DEEP’s Clean Water Fund, for this type of project.
It is also indirectly linked to another project on the list, in Danbury.
A small portion of Ridgefield is on Danbury’s regional wastewater treatment system and those customers will contribute a small portion of the $102 million upgrade to that plant, which is on Danbury’s referendum this November. Bethel, Brookfield and Newtown are also served by the plant and will see their rates go up.Danbury officials have said the customers will pay for about 20 percent of the project and that at least another 20 percent will be covered by state funds.
The next hearing for Ridgefield’s project will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Town Hall.
Groton plan to build new elementary schools will require voter approval
Kimberly Drelich
Groton — The state has approved a plan for the construction of two brand-new elementary schools, rather than converting existing middle schools, but the plan will require voters' approval at a referendum to move forward.
Two years ago, residents at a referendum backed spending $184.5 million for the Groton 2020 Plan to build a new consolidated middle school at the former Merritt Farm property, adjacent to Robert E. Fitch High School, and to convert the town's current two middle schools into renovated "like new" elementary schools.
Town Manager John Burt said that the state gave approval for the new elementary schools, since that plan would actually cost less than a renovation project.
To proceed with the updated plan, the town would need to amend the ordinance approved at the 2016 referendum so it reflects that the current middle school buildings would be replaced with two new elementary schools, rather than renovated into elementary schools. The plan to build the consolidated middle school at the former Merritt Farm site remains the same.
The Town Planning Commission has approved the change, and the City Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to review it on Tuesday. The Board of Education will consider the change at its Oct. 22 meeting.
The Town Council has scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Oct. 23 in Community Room 1 of the Town Hall Annex, and will afterward consider adopting an ordinance that amends the original one. The ordinance would next move to the Representative Town Meeting. If the Town Council approves it and it doesn't get vetoed by the RTM, the proposal would then go to a referendum on Dec. 11.
Superintendent Michael Graner said building new schools will provide an opportunity to design buildings specifically for elementary education purposes, rather than renovate ones built for middle school programs.
He noted that educational programming, especially special education programming, has changed since the middle-school buildings were constructed more than 50 years ago. The buildings can be designed for current educational programs and incorporate technology and other features exactly as desired. They will also have new infrastructure.
Under the plan to build new elementary schools, the town wouldn't have to wait until construction on the middle school wraps up in June 2020 to begin working on the elementary schools, Burt said.
"With new elementary schools you can build them while building the middle school," Burt said.
If the change is approved at referendum, local officials anticipate the new elementary schools would be ready for the 2021-22 school year.
The estimated construction cost for the Carl C. Cutler Middle School site is $45,800,000, with a maximum state reimbursement of 80 percent; construction at the West Side Middle School site is estimated at $45,600,000, with a maximum reimbursement rate of 47.5 percent, according to Burt.
The consolidated middle school would cost about $86,090,000, with the estimated reimbursement of 47.5 percent.
If the proposed change doesn't pass at referendum, Burt said the town would continue with the middle school and look at options for the elementary schools.
"If we had to renovate as new, we are unsure of the financial impact since it is likely some items would become ineligible for reimbursement," he said, adding that it wouldn't be possible to determine what the reimbursement is, if any, for each item until the state notified the town as it proceeded through the design process.
Waterbury roads dug up for gas, electric service to former Howland Hughes Department Store
MICHAEL PUFFER
WATERBURY – Downtown roads are being dug up this week as contractors work to extend new gas and electric service for the $15 million renovation of the former Howland Hughes Department Store.
City Engineer Paul Bellagamba said a new gas main has been extended up Field Street to Leavenworth Street and will cut down Center Street to the rear of the Howland Hughes Building, which fronts on Bank Street downtown.
Underground electrical lines are also being upgraded from Leavenworth Street, up Printers Court to the rear of the building.
The building is owned by Green Hub Development, which has secured a lease from Post University to bring approximately 400 workers downtown. City officials say Green Hub appears on track to finish renovations by Dec. 1.
Bellagamba said Green Hub is responsible for the cost of repairing city streets that have been dug up for the utility upgrades. He expects the electrical upgrade to take about another week. The gas line project could take another two weeks, but could be impacted by weather, he said.