Cassandra Day
HADDAM — Opponents of a plan to close a popular elementary school are denouncing a proposal to sell the facility and adjacent land to a Middletown developer for below market value.
The Regional School District 17 school board put out a request for bids Nov. 1 for the reuse/redevelopment of Haddam Elementary School on Saybrook Road/Route 154. Last year, as a cost-saving measure, the education panel, which serves Haddam and Killingworth, voted to close the 1947 facility in Higganum center at the end of the academic year.
The plan calls for students to be moved to Burr District Elementary School in Killingworth, about 4 miles away.
A single proposal was received Feb. 5, a day before the deadline, according to Superintendent of Schools Howard Thiery. The five-page bid was made by John Rak of the family-run Rak Realty, which owns and manages 18 properties with 199 units in Middletown, Cromwell and Norwich.
In 2016, the entire 155-acre property, including the facility, 10 acres of grounds and substantial Swan Hill nature trail behind the school, was assessed at $3.12 million, and appraised at $4.45 million, according to the property card.
Assessed values (the taxable amount) are 70 percent of the fair market value (or appraisal) in Connecticut.Rak restoration and conversion projects include three historic properties in Middletown: St. Luke’s Home, the former residence of for elderly widows of Civil War veterans, now on the National Register of Historic Places; the circa 1936 Florence A. Stillman School, and the former Woodrow Wilson High School, built in 1931.
The property and surrounding land “provide a great framework from which to breathe new life into this historic site. Furthermore, the parcel offers an extraordinary opportunity to bolster the center of Higganum Village without compromising the small town New England charm that makes it so special,” Rak wrote in his bid for the Haddam school.
His vision is to retrofit the school “in a way that fits seamlessly into the community and creates tax revenue for the town as well as providing much needed rental housing opportunities,” according to the proposal.
Terms include the town waiving property taxes for three years, then phasing in real estate taxes at 20 percent annually for five years, based on the current assessment. It also asks the municipality to waive half of building permit fees, all of which are “standard” practice, Rak said.
Two options were included: one for the purchase of the facility and surrounding 10 acres for $450,000; and a second offer to buy the entire 155-acre site for $650,000. If accepted, the Raks propose the creation of 49 apartment units in the 29,000-square-foot building. Construction is expected to take between 14 and 16 months.
The $650,000 offer would allow renters to use the walking trails along with the existing tennis and basketball courts.About 50 parents and residents, who call themselves the Save HES Committee, are vocally opposed to the plan and spoke out at both the Feb. 5 school board meeting as well as Monday’s two-hour Board of Selectmen meeting.
Selectwoman Melissa Schlag said at Monday’s meeting it was “quite extraordinary that [the developers] are only offering $450,000” in the first bid. “It was clear somebody let [the developers] know there weren’t any other bids on the property, so they came in and lowballed it … for pennies on the dollar,” Schlag said.
Rak said his bid “for a nice, quality project,” is based on many factors, including the high cost of converting the school into apartments and what he could charge tenants for leases.
The interior would undergo substantial demolition. “We really only use the shell of the building,” Rak said. It is also expensive to meet new building codes for things such as sprinkler, heat and electrical systems, he added.
Many factors play into a developer’s offer, and, oftentimes, a parcel worth a certain amount on paper may not have the same worth at sale, Thiery said. There could be a fairly significant difference between a tax evaluation and development value, because investments must be made by anyone hoping to reuse the property.“The land is beautiful, but it doesn’t hold development value, because it’s bedrock and ledges in a mountain. The board understands the public value as recreational land. The board is cognizant of that, and it will be part of the discussion,” Thiery said. “It’s about a vision for development, especially for a building of this age.”
The board consulted four to five real estate developers, as well as the tax assessor, and got a “very broad range” of values, he said.The room at the Old Town Hall was packed with between 60 and 70 people Monday night. After about five minutes, regular business was concluded, and the remainder of the session was devoted to public session.
First Selectman Lizz Milardo said Wednesday she hasn’t seen the Rak proposal, and, therefore, wasn’t in a position to comment.“I am waiting for the Board of Education to review and make it public. The BOE only has it now, and was instructed to keep it confidential,” she said by email.
At Monday’s meeting, Schlag demanded selectmen meet with the school board, request the process be put on hold for a year, and the town consider buying the property.
“Then we can decide what we want to do to it — whether it’s a community center, senior center, veterans museum,” Schlag said, suggesting the town of Killingworth could be included in any plans for the facility.
For several years, Shawna Goldfarb, member of Save HES and mother of two boys at Haddam-Killingworth Middle School, has delved extensively into the district’s budget. She has spoken multiple times to Haddam officials about the issue, as well as during school board meetings in both towns.
“I’m very upset [the board is] still continuing to disregard constituents, no matter how many facts are brought to the table,” Goldfarb said.
The best solution is to leave the school open, Goldfarb said. Doing so would foster a sense of “live, walk, play and learn,” in Higganum center.
She’s hoping the district can be more “fiscally responsible,” and wait until the legislature votes on the state’s plan to regionalize all of Connecticut’s K-12 schools.
“That actually could bode well for us — money and grant wise,” she said.
As a last resort, she’d like to see the schools undergo redistricting so Haddam students living closest to Killingworth Elementary School would attend Burr.
Everyone in the group will then focus on growing the center, according to the [plan of conservation and development],” Goldfarb said.The school’s closure was part of the education board’s decision March 6 to restructure the district and address a variety of issues.
Jennifer Petrillo, mother of a kindergartner at HES and member of Save HES, said her team gathered more than 1,100 signatures to support keeping the elementary school open, which it presented to the school board ahead of its March 2018 meeting.
Petrillo’s solution is a simple one: “Keep that school. Cut costs elsewhere.”
The next Board of Education meeting is Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Haddam-Killingworth Middle School, 451 Route 81, Killingworth.
Southington food-to-energy plant plans to add building
Jesse Buchanan
SOUTHINGTON – A food-to-energy plant on DePaolo Drive intends to add a 25,000 square foot building and machinery to sort an unexpected rise in packaged food waste.
Quantum Biopower converts the waste into methane, which is burned to produce electricity. A 2013 state law requires major food waste producers to send their waste to such facilities.
Last week, the Planning and Zoning Commission gave the company unanimous approval for the additional 25,000 square foot building to house the sorting machine.
The plant receives food waste, such as table scraps from restaurants and cafeterias, along with spoiled packaged food from grocery stores and other large businesses. George Andrews Jr., who represented Quantum Biopower before the PZC, said the company had expected about 70 percent of the food waste to be scraps and unpackaged food. Andrews, Loureiro Engineering vice president, said Quantum has instead received roughly that percentage of packaged foods, including pallets of soda cans that have gone bad.
“It’s created a bit of difficulty with regards to processing,” he said. “It takes a lot of time and the materials need to be segregated out by hand … A lot of hand labor goes into it.”
Quantum will purchase a more efficient sorting machine that separates organic material from packaging and removes recyclables such as aluminum.
No new employees will be needed for the expansion. Trips to the facility may decrease because it will be able to handle loads from larger vehicles.
“It’s just adding a new technology to the site,” Andrews said.
Commission members said they supported the company’s plan.
“They’ve been a very good company for the area. Very respectful for the neighbors,” said Susan Locks, a commission member.
Robert Hammersley, a commission member, said he’s toured the facility.
“I was quite impressed with the operation there,” he said. “I’m happy to see they’re making some improvements, enhancements.”
Turning Earth, a food waste plant slated for Spring Street, could open in mid-2019, according to the company’s website. It received town approval for the site in 2014 and state approval two years ago.
Lawmakers eye 2,000-megawatt offshore wind power buy
Benjamin Kail
New London — As Orsted and Eversource remain at the negotiating table with port and city officials over upgrades to State Pier, lawmakers are following in the footsteps of several Northeast states and pushing for a heavy long-term procurement of offshore wind power.
The Energy and Technology Committee recently agreed to work on legislation that would call for an injection of at least 2,000 megawatts of electricity from offshore wind farms in the next decade, Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, said Tuesday in New London.
The announcement, made at a Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut breakfast, sparked applause led by renewable energy and labor advocates who've been urging the state to take advantage of a burgeoning offshore wind industry that's seen prices drop with increased scale and competition at a time when states are going green. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Virginia have announced targets of between 2,000 and 9,000 megawatts in offshore wind power in the coming years.
"We need to be a player in the game," Formica said. "We can develop New London and we have an opportunity ... to really focus on this new and emerging industry. Two-thousand megawatts is realistic and I think it sends a clear message that we are ready to jump into this industry and support it with everything that we have."
Connecticut has secured 300 megawatts from Orsted US Offshore Wind's Revolution Wind farm in federal waters south of Martha's Vineyard, scheduled to be operational by 2023. As part of that proposal, Orsted pledged at least $22.5 million in State Pier infrastructure upgrades along with an annual $750,000 investment in the city as part of a host community agreement. The state has agreed to finance State Pier upgrades with at least $25 million, and recently selected pier operator Gateway New London LLC is investing $30 million in equipment and maintenance. Gov. Ned Lamont recently announced the city will share in State Pier revenues over the next two decades.
But city, state and offshore wind leaders say a larger procurement of offshore wind-generated power could help the city and region reap more than a decade of economic development benefits. The move, they said, also eventually could help replace electricity from Millstone Power Station while helping the state hit aggressive targets on greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
"I think it sends a clear and convincing message that Connecticut's serious about wind power," Port Authority Chairman Scott Bates said of the potential procurement in an interview Tuesday. "That kind of signal shows the industry they can make the investments necessary to make New London a wind power hub for a generation to come."
New London Mayor Michael Passero harkened to the Whaling City's past and said "the city is once again ready to host a new energy industry driven by the wind that we hope will prove more sustainable than whale oil."
"The city is encouraged by our new partnership with Eversource and Orsted and we're ready to work with the state of Connecticut to restore this magnificent port to its historic role as the economic engine to this region," he added. "Connecticut needs to join our neighboring states and increase its commitment to offshore wind. Let's close this deal."
Reps. Mary Mushinksy, D-Wallingford, and Joe Gresko, D-Stratford, introduced a bill in January calling on Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to set a goal to procure at least 2,000 megawatts of electricity generated from offshore wind. That bill was referred to Energy and Technology Committee on Jan. 30, and Formica said the potential procurement was one of several concepts raised and unanimously approved last week for further discussion and development into law.
"It could be more than 2,000 megawatts but we'll shoot for that now and see how the industry develops. The committee should have a fairly robust conversation in the coming weeks," Formica said.
Orsted US Offshore Wind Head of New England Markets Matthew Morrissey said Orsted, which built the world's first offshore wind farm, had "learned a great deal about how to inform manufacturing, how to increase standardization, how to ensure safety ... how to ensure costs are continually brought down throughout the supply chain."
Morrissey argued the coalition working toward offshore wind development in the region would create jobs and help the state reach environmental goals while not impeding recreational and commercial fishing and shipping industries.
Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme, said the potential 2,000-megawatt procurement would show Orsted the state is committed to offshore wind, which could lead to greater private investment in State Pier. She said it is important to keep ratepayer impact in mind, noting she hopes costs continue to decline.
Lawmakers "will be talking closely with (DEEP Commissioner) Katie Dykes and Lamont's office. We'll see how this plays out," Cheeseman said.
CT GOP calls for transportation investment, public-private partnerships, outsourcing
Joe Cooper
Republican Senate leaders aired proposals Wednesday morning that include making major transportation investments over the next three decades, providing incentives for defense manufacturers and cutting costs in state government.
Flanked by GOP brass at the state Capitol's Legislative Office Building, Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) outlined a previously pitched funding plan that would earmark $65 billion for transportation infrastructure projects over the next 30 years.
Billed as "Prioritize Progress," Republican officials said the revised long-term transportation plan does not rely on highway tolls or a tax increase, and would provide steady funding for projects under the state's bond cap.
The plan has been proposed, and revised, annually by Republican leaders since 2015.
"It protects bonding for core needs such as school construction and clean water, at the same time it prioritizes transportation investments," according to an agenda summary provided by Senate Republicans. "Instead of using additional bonding for pet projects and political handouts, this plan requires that all bonding above and beyond the state's core investment needs must go toward transportation infrastructure projects."
Their proposals surface amid Democratic leaders recent backing of legislation that would legalize paid family and medical leave, a $15-per-hour state minimum wage, sports betting, recreational marijuana and other measures.
On Wednesday, Republican leaders detailed S.B. 108, which would create incentives for local Pentagon contractors that use services provided by in-state subcontractors and businesses. The "Buy Connecticut" program would provide sales tax exemptions and research and development tax credits to participating contractors.
The GOP also pitched privatizing certain state agency services through public-private partnerships.
S.B. 291 would create a public-private advisory council to allow commissioners of several agencies -- including the state Department of Social Services; Department of Developmental Services; Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; and Department of Children and Families -- to outsource human services.
Under H.B. 5782, the state would mandate that the state Department of Motor Vehicles enter into agreements with contractors to advance existing privatized services.