Selectmen Approve $14.8M in Bonding Projects

The Suffield Board of Selectmen approved language to present to the Board of Finance on Wednesday night, a major step towards having town residents vote on $14.8 million worth of bonding projects.

If the Board of Finance accepts the proposals at their meeting on Monday, Feb. 14, the four projects will then be voted on separately at a town meeting. The projects that are approved at the town meeting will then go to a referendum.

“The only way we’re going to get things done is to push these forward and eventually get people to vote on them,” said First Selectman Tom Frenaye.

The proposals include language allowing the town to spend less than the bonded amount for each project and generally incorporate flexibility into the process.

Frenaye said an average town resident will pay approximately $146 extra per year in property taxes should the bonds all pass the referendum. This amount does not factor in the decrease in taxes that will come from bond issues for town sewers expiring in a few years and bond issues for expiring in 10 years.

Selectman Brian Fitzgerald said if the measures don’t pass, the town would still need to go through with most of the projects. This would be completed through the town’s Advisory Committee on Capital Expenditures and the cost to town residents would likely be equivalent to bonding costs. Selectman Tim Reynolds agreed with Fitzgerald.

The total bonding amount comprises road and drainage repair at $3 million, new fire trucks at $1.4 million, Town Hall renovations at $1.9 million and a new library at $6.5 million. The $13.2 million figure includes $400,000 in costs related to the bonding process but does not include $1.5 million in outside funding needed to complete construction of the library according to the current plans.

The total overall cost of the bonding, including items like demolition costs, will be approximately $14.8 million.

“We’re still under $15 million total on the four projects,” Frenaye said.

The board approved three of the proposals, for road repair and drainage, new fire trucks and Town Hall renovations, quickly with a general sense of accord. The proposal for the library engendered the most debate amongst the selectmen.

The new library proposal has generated the most discussion throughout the bonding process thus far. It has been a polarizing issue for groups and individuals in Suffield. Public comment at the town’s third public forum on bonding, held on Tuesday, was focused on the library as well.

Discussion on the location of the library between the selectmen was the most contentious issue. Opinions on what to do with the Bridge Street School building were divided. Reynolds advocated demolishing the building while selectman Joanne Sullivan wanted to keep the building intact. Fitzgerald said the board should choose the location that would generate the most votes for the project.

After about 45 minutes of discussion, the board changed the language in the library proposal to state that Bridge Street School will be demolished.

“We’re making progress,” Frenaye said.