Flatto's New Capital Plan Set at $42.2m Over Five Years

First Selectman Ken Flatto released a new capital financial plan Friday afternoon that calls for $42.2 million in gross funding over the next five fiscal years. With anticipated state reimbursements totaling $12.2 million, the plan envisions bonding $30 million.

Flatto's plan comes in advance of a financial planning summit scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Monday by the town's Board of Finance. The summit, to which town and school officials have been invited, will take place in the Education Center, 501 Kings Highway East.

Bonding and the town's debt became a hot topic this summer due to the economy and residents who forced a referendum on the town's plan to bond $350,000 for a girls' Little League field on Hoyden's Lane. The referendum failed because 25 percent of voters did not vote "No" on the expense, but "No" votes ran 2-to-1 over "Yes" votes.

Flatto on Friday declined to comment on his capital financial plan, saying the Board of Finance should have a chance to review the plan before he offers comments to the media.

But Flatto's plan calls for spending half of what the school district's Central Office envisioned for school infrastructure work over that time period. Flatto doesn't specify what school projects should be done, but calls for the Board of Education to receive $19 million (excluding anticipated state reimbursements of $4 million.) The Central Office envisioned receiving $44.1 million, excluding state reimbursements, according to the latest version of its capital financial plan.

Flatto also calls for a total of $10 million in short-term bonding for school infrastructure work over five years, while the Central Office envisioned $9.1 million.

When all the adding is done, the totals, excluding state reimbursements, are Central Office - $53.2 million, Flatto - $29 million.

"You have to start somewhere," said Board of Education Vice Chairman Pam Iacono of Flatto's suggested allocation  for school construction projects. "That's a good starting-off point, a good jumping-off point, and I anticipate a healthy discussion Monday."

Iacono said school officials were working to determine their priorities for capital improvements. "It would be good to have guidance from the town bodies so we can plan and budget appropriately," she said.

Estimates from the school district's Central Office are usually on the low side. Fairfield Woods Middle School's expansion and renovation was estimated by the district at $8.5 million, while the actual amount was $24.2 million, and Stratfield School's expansion and renovation was estimated by the district at $15 million and came in at nearly $18 million.

Flatto's plan, from 2010-11 through 2014-15, envisions gross funding of:

* $3.2 million to demolish and rebuild the center and westerly sections of Penfield Pavilion (bond amount expected at $3 million due to a $200,000 state grant);

* $19 million for school upgrades (bond amount expected at $15 million due to anticipated $4 million in grants);

* $8.75 million for town infrastructure work (bond amount expected at $4 million due to $4.75 million in grants; Flatto said bridges are 80 percent reimbursable);

* $700,000 for passive open space and parks (bonded amount expected to be $350,000 due to anticipated grants);

* $2.5 million for a new Fairfield Fire Training Center on One Rod Highway (bond amount expected at $100,000 due to anticipated grants);

* $5.5 million for a renovation and possible addition at Fairfield Woods Branch Library (bond amount expected at $5 million due to anticipated grant of $500,000);

* $2.3 million for a new clubhouse at the H. Smith Richardson Golf Course (no grants expected);

* $250,000 for renovations to the former John S. Turner U.S. Army Reserve Center on High Street through a partnership with the Police Athletic League (no grants expected.)

Flatto's plan anticipates that the town's longterm outstanding bonds would total $232.3 million in the summer of 2012 and decline to $200.7 million in the summer of 2015 due to retiring of old debt. Annual debt service is projected to climb from $24.8 million in 2011-12 to $27.9 million in 2015-16.

Three town boards need to approve funding requests before construction can begin - the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting. Two funding requests that were approved by the Board of Selectmen - $3.28 million for the rebuild of Penfield Pavilion and $3 million to replace windows at Fairfield Ludlowe High School - are awaiting a vote of the Board of Finance.