A Town Council Proposal to Bring Order to Town Projects

Prior to Monroe allowing Newtown to use its Chalk Hill building as a school, Town Councilman Tony Unger had noticed the hectic and sometimes confusing process for deciding upon the building's future. The councilman has proposed the establishment of guidelines for town projects to bring some order to the approval process.

The Council's Legislative & Administrative Committee recently reviewed a proposal to add the guidelines to its Rules of Procedure and specific language will be discussed by the entire Town Council at its meeting on April 8.

Among language L&A members want to add to it is to exclude emergency projects from the guidelines.

L&A Chairman J.P. Sredzinski recalled the emergency project to prepare Chalk Hill to be used by Sandy Hook Elementary School, when its own building had to be abandoned following the tragic shooting there, as an example of when speedy approvals are needed.

According to Unger's proposal, when a project or a bonding request is made to Town Council, it must be made at least two weeks before any potential vote and include:

• A complete scope of the project
• A timeline for implementation and completion as well as status review dates and other milestones
• Estimate of costs and fiscal impact over the next 5 years (including contingency)
• Suggested oversight committee
• Potential alternatives considered

Everything would have to be submitted to the council in writing by the first selectman.

"The Town Council also welcomes the input of various department heads and members of the public on projects," the proposal states. "However, it is important that the Town Council have a written record of these items from the First Selectman."