Groton Elections: Reasons For Voting Yes and No Vary Widely (With Video)

3:15 p.m. S.B. Butler Elementary

Al Charette has been an assistant election registrar at the S.B. Butler Elementary School for eight to 10 years, he said and today's flow of election traffic is heavier than normal for a referendum in a district of around 3400 registered voters.

"We were at a voter a minute but it sped up, which for a referendum is heavy but this is an emotional vote," he said of the proposed school construction project.

"I'm going to get a lot of flack for this but I voted yes for both," said Mystic resident Julie Stone. "To me, it's more economical to build new buildings than to renovate them."

Voters are casting votes in favor or against spending $6.4 million dollars to rebuild part of Thames Street and to build a new middle school and reconfigure the district, which is valued at $133 million dollars.

The $133 million dollar construction project, as proposed, relies on state subsidies and an anticipated 66 percent reimbursement rate, which reduces the total cost of the project to $65.8 million dollars. If the plan is not approved in this referendum, Groton will likely be eligible for a reduced reimbursement rate of around 57 percent the next time around which amounts to a $9.1 million dollar loss.

But, the numbers aren't compelling enough for some residents.

"I voted no for 'Phase II' and yes for Thames Street," said Marsh Enquist of Mystic, who said he had plenty of doubts about the importance and credibility of the construction project. "I don't know if it's too wise to knock down two schools."

3 p.m., Charles Barnum Elementary

Paul Gross retired last month. If he’s living in Groton, he got to be able to afford it, he said.

“I don’t want my taxes going through the roof,” Gross said. “Gas is already going through the roof, and they’re not doing anything about that.”

He voted against both ballot questions this afternoon. He added that it’s easy for politicians to say voters should support more spending.

“They’re making big money,” he said. “I’m on an extremely limited income.”

Velda Williams said she supported rebuilding Thames Street, a project “long overdue.”  Spending $6.4 million is appropriate to do it right, she said.

The school referendum was a different matter, she said.

“I don’t agree with that at all,” she said. “I think it’s an exorbitant amount of money." She said she also disagrees with having one middle school and the proposed location of the school.

2 p.m., William Seely School

Andrew Lavery, moderator of the polling place at William Seely School, said 91 voters - about 10 percent of those registered - had cast ballots by 2 p.m.

By comparison, 210 people voted in 2009.

“The turnout’s actually decent so far,” Lavery said. “Of course, we’d love to have 963…”

Tom Barnhart cast a “yes” vote for rebuilding Thames Street and for new school construction. Good school buildings are necessary to lure employers, he said.

“If you don’t have the right infrastructure, you can’t bring in big business,” he said. Employers won’t locate in Groton if they think they can’t attract the kind of employees they want, he said.

“Who wants to move into a school district that’s below average, that doesn’t offer the right education for their children?” Barnhart said. “They’ll go somewhere else.”

1:15 p.m. School Administrative Building

More than 12 percent of the 2668 people in the sixth district had cast their vote by 1:15 p.m., according to election moderators. The driveway and parking lot of the school administration building at 1300 Flanders Road is lined with a matching number of "Vote No" and "Vote Yes" signs referring to the proposed school construction project.  

Representative Town Meeting member Roseanne Kotowski and her Yorkshire terrier, Colonel Jack O'Neill, were greeting voters and thanking them for their support or for taking the time to cast a vote today. 

"I hope we have a good turnout, it's hard to tell" she said, of the variety of people showing up to vote and to support the bake sale for the Cutler Middle School eighth grade dinner and dance. 

Vaughn Dowsett, an election moderator said the turnout has been steady. 

"It's a little bit more than I expected," he said. "It's not as heavy as a national election but it's at least or as many as a (local election)." 

Mystic resident Chris Bowen cast his vote this afternoon. 

"I definitely approve of the money going to the expansion of our school system here," he said, and anticipated that his youngest child would be directly impacted by the changes. 

"I'm good with the full-day (kindergarten)," he said. "I see it benefitting a lot of the children. I saw it benefit my two older kids. It's up to the parents' discretion, of course." 

Leeartis Nevith, of Mystic agreed. 

"We need all the education we can get for these kids. I can understand that taxes are going up," he said, " I'd like to see these kids get a jump on it." 

Another Mystic resident, Rob Comrie, said he voted against the plan because the project is too much money. 

"I don't think we ought to be spending money we don't have," he said. "We don't have it, that's the whole problem."

10:48 a.m., Groton Town Annex

A steady stream of people flowed into the Town Annex today around 10:48 this morning to vote on the controversial school construction proposal, commonly referred to as "phase II" because it is the second phase of a long range plan to renovate the school buildings. The first phase was approved after the second referenda and residents appear to be divided on the first round of the second phase. 

"It's hard, it's a complicated thing. If you don't go to a presentation, how do you sift through it all," said Noank resident Mary Ann Little of the plan, which has been almost four years in the making.

"I'm not in favor of this Phase II, I would be in favor of a Phase II that builds a middle school on the King property," said Ed Stebbins of Noank. "This is way too much and it's not the right time." 

The initial design proposed a new middle school to be built on the same plot of land where the is located. The location, the cost, and other details, like traffic patterns and a improved football field, have been reasons for concern to those opposed to the plan. 

"I'm voting no even though I'm a retired teacher from East Hartford," said Mary Taylor of Noank. "I think they (the students) can be educated without AstroTurf." 

Gordon Lang, who has been involved with both phases of the district's renovation didn't let the details derail his focus on the larger picture and voted in support of the plan. 

"It's absolutely necessary that the town of Groton stays up with the world."

10 a.m., Groton Public Library

By 10 a.m., 70 people had cast ballots at Groton Public Library, about 4 percent of registered voters in the district.

“I’m amazed, actually,” said Judy Ida, who handed out ballots. “Quite a few people are coming in.”

Bill Andrews, who voted at 9:45 a.m., said he disagreed with the timing of the referendum. He said ballot questions that spend taxpayer money should be put to voters during general elections.

“I regard referendums at non-election times as cash registers from the taxpayers' pockets,” he said, adding. “These referendums at non-scheduled election times are a disaster.”

7:30 a.m., West Side Middle School

Rob Beaulieu, band director at West Side, handed out 147 flyers last week at the subsidized housing development Branford Manor, uring people to support the school construction plan.

“I’ve seen a big shift over the last two weeks,” he said, as voters and students walked into the school.

Beaulieu said he spoke to about 60 people, and all but one supported the plan.

At the driveway entrance to West Side, Superintendent Paul Kadri held a “Vote Today” sign and the leash of his dog, Bunker, 8, a Wheaten Terrier.

 “We’re going to the schools just to remind parents its voting day,” Kadri said.

“Vote today” signs were also posted in the windows of Groton school buses.

Steve Romanelli said after voting that he understands what the schools are trying to do, but he still can’t support more spending. He's not confident the state reimbursement will materialize.

“With these economic times and the way the money’s being granted, I don’t think the money’s going to be there,” he said.

“Our taxes are way too high,” said Stella Peruzzotti, after casting her vote. “They’ve got to do something about reducing the tax base.”

Others supported investments in the schools and in repairing Thames Street.

Charlotte Barnum said she felt strongly about the street in particular.

“It desperately needs attention,” she said.

On education, she said she believes it’s good to consolidate Groton's three middle schools. “I think that the larger the school, the more that can be offered in terms of programs, music and sports. . . And if we get involved in preschool programs for children, I think it pays dividends down the road,” she said.

Fifty-three people had cast ballots at West Side by 8 a.m., 2.5 percent of the 2,078 people registered.

Groton City Municipal Building, 6 a.m.

Democratic City Councilor Bill Jervis and City Council candidate Larry Gerrish waited outside the Groton municipal building for the first voters, who arrived shortly after 6 a.m.

“At least it’s not raining,” Jervis commented.

“The issues could be the biggest motivator,” said Gerrish, of getting people to the polls.  

Taxpayers are casting ballots today in the Groton city municipal elections and on two referendum questions: whether to authorize $133 million for new school construction and whether to approve $6.4 million to rebuild Thames Street.

Gerrish said people are getting the two ballot questions confused.

 Thursday night, he said he was with a group, “And I told them, ‘I hope you vote for Thames Street,’ and they said, ‘That’s a $133 million package.’ And I said, ‘No. No,’” Gerrish said.

Voters interviewed outside the municipal building said they had views on each.

Jane Moriarty said she believes Thames Street should be fixed, but does not favor the school construction plan.

“I think there’s sufficient systems in place,” she said of the schools. “Enrollment is not going to go up.”

The road, on the other hand, needs repair.

“The retaining walls have to be replaced. They paved over it years ago, and the trolley tracks are coming back through,” she said.

Anthony Brown said he’d like to see the road fixed in stages rather than all at once.  “There’s quite a few streets in town that are in need of attention,” he said.

School construction is a tough question, he added, but said, “To me, I’d rather see old buildings used.”