Majority of Selectmen Sign Bonding Projects Memorandum

Four of the five Suffield Board of Selectmen members signed the Board of Finance’s memorandum of understanding on bonding projects on Wednesday. The four officials signed the document despite the finance board rejecting changes to the memorandum sought by the selectmen.

The four selectmen who signed the document, Brian Fitzgerald, First Selectman Tom Frenaye, Eileen Moncrief and Tim Reynolds, did so to keep the projects moving towards approval by the Board of Finance and a vote by town residents.

The bonding projects - road and drainage improvements, new fire trucks, Town Hall renovations and a new library - will cost the town a total of $13.2 million if all four are approved by voters at a referendum.

The selectmen have stressed a timely advance through the bonding process since the projects were first suggested. They want to take advantage of current low interest rates and construction costs.

“As for tonight, is there something we can do to expedite it, to get it to town meeting on time?” Moncrief asked.

“There is no ‘on time,’” Frenaye replied.

The selectmen had wanted to hurry up the bonding process to keep voting on the projects and the town budget season, now in its beginning stages, separate.

Selectman Joanne Sullivan did not sign the memorandum.

“I think [the Board of Finance is] being unreasonable,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the finance board has ultimate control over the town budget regardless of the memorandum. She also expressed frustration that the back-and-forth discussion on the memorandum had created delays in the bonding process, a sentiment shared by the other selectmen.

“[The Board of Finance] is holding up the whole process,” Moncrief said.

“I think they’re losing votes already,” Reynolds said. “It’s almost too late.”

"This is what we were trying to avoid," Fitzgerald said.

The memorandum, a non-binding document, features financial limits resulting in tax increases to town residents of no more than 1 percent in the 2011-2012 financial year and 3 percent in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 financial years should the bonding projects pass.

The selectmen previously approved language supporting any financial restrictions imposed by the Board of Finance related to the bonding projects at a special meeting on February 23, but sought to change the spirit of the memorandum itself.

At that meeting, the selectmen said the Board of Finance’s version of memorandum was too involved and focused on specific financial information. The selectmen believed the document, intended to present the three boards’ official position on the projects to the town, should focus the agreement between the three boards that the projects are necessary for the town.

The Board of Finance’s position is that residents need to see concrete goals and figures indicating exactly what steps will be taken to limit tax increases. Most finance board members also expressed the opinion that their version of the memorandum would attract more votes for the project.

The Board of Education took a similar action, passing a resolution supporting the memorandum but not actually signing the document, at their meeting on Tuesday, March 1.

The Board of Finance has indicated they will likely approve the bonding projects once the memorandum is approved. The projects will then move to a town meeting, and if approved there, a town-wide referendum.

The Board of Selectmen discussed the remaining steps in the bonding process and when a referendum could occur. Considerations included the month required by law between a town meeting and referendum, the upcoming town meeting to vote on the town budget, and Suffield public school vacation in April.

The board reached a consensus that the earliest possible time they felt comfortable holding the referendum would like likely be in early May.