South Windsor to Apply for One Grant for Two Projects

The Town Council on Monday voted to authorize Town Manager Matthew Galligan to apply for a $500,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant for improvements to the emergency operations center/business center at the Town Hall Annex.

The 6 to 1 vote with one abstention revealed the awkward position the town now finds itself in.

Specifically, in October the Town Council - then comprising a Republican majority - voted to have Galligan apply for a $500,000 STEAP grant to help fund the athletics fields project at Nevers Park.

Although there was some confusion whether Galligan would apply for the the STEAP grant for the athletics fields, he said at Monday’s meeting that he would.

That means that the town is applying for two STEAP grants. Towns can only receive STEAP grants totaling $500,000 in any given year, if they receive any grant at all, Galligan said.

Last year, the state granted South Windsor $500,000 for the EOC/business center. The project will require at least another $500,000 before any additional work could be done, according to Mayor Dr. Saud Anwar. Hence the need to apply for the second STEAP grant.

In a rare move, Town Councilor Keith Yagaloff abstained from the vote, stating that it was not good policy to pit one project against another.

“It’s terrible because it’s setting ourselves up for failure of one of our projects,” Yagaloff said. “They are both formally approved projects. For both we are directing the town manager to apply for STEAP grants.”

Yagaloff said that it sets up competition within the community between residents who favor one project over the other.

“Folks in favor of one [project] will demean or denigrate the other,” Yagaloff said. “We’re not rowing all in one direction. We’re competing for limited resources, which, in the long run, is not helpful for either project."

But Town Councilor Tom Delnicki said that, while he was never in favor of purchasing the old post office (now called the Town Hall Annex), he does favor turning the building into an EOC, provided that no direct South Windsor tax dollars are invested in the project.

That means obtaining further grants from the state.

“The old post office has been a white elephant in town for years,” Delnicki said.

With all the town councilors on board to turn the annex into an EOC, the time was right to apply for further funds, Delnicki said.

Galligan agreed that the EOC was a viable project.

Galligan noted that by having him apply for two grants, he could conceivably receive a call from the state asking him what are the town’s priorities.

The council, Galligan said, has not provided him with any guidance as to what the preferred project is. Galligan said that scenario would be “a disaster.”

“I hate competing against myself,” Galligan said. “It’s a no-win situation. Someone is going to come to me and ask, ‘Which one do you want.’”

Yagaloff agreed.

“I don’t think it’s right believing you would make that call,” Yagaloff said to Galligan. “You are following the wishes of the council knowing it will create a conflict.

Still, Anwar said that by applying for two STEAP grants, there is an increased chance that the town will receive one of them.

Town Councilor Stephen Wagner voted against the measure.