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ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
REFERENDUM PUBLIC
INFORMATION SESSION
OCTOBER 9, 2002
A Public Information Session was held in the Auditorium of Enfield Street School, 1318 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut on Monday, October 9, 2002. Chairman Vayda called the Session to order at 7:30 p.m.
ROLL-CALL - Present were Councilmen Jones, Mangini, Strom, and Vayda. Councilmen Edgar, Egan, Fiore, Hall, Kaupin, Tait, Tallarita were absent. Also present were Town Manager, Scott Shanley; Town Clerk, Suzanne F. Olechnicki; Recreation Supervisor, Mary Keller; Board of Education Members Kenneth Hilinski, Roger Jones, Sharon Racine, Nicholas Sinsigalli, and William Thomson.
Town Manager, Scott Shanley, provided an overview of the upcoming referendum. He noted six items are included in the referendum as follows:
Enfield High School Athletic Fields
Enrico Fermi High School Athletic Fields
Brainerd Park
Green Manor Park Pool
Shaker Soccer Complex
Little League Ball Field Lights
Mr. Shanley provided illustrations and highlighted each project as follows:
Enfield High School Athletic Field Project
- A lot of drainage work and soil replacement
- Improvements would result in four ball fields (two baseball and two softball); fields for field hockey and soccer; a synthetic track surrounding a multi-purpose field with lighting which would accommodate football and regulation soccer; bleachers, a football practice field; basketball; expanded parking
Enrico Fermi High School Athletic Field Project
- Additional parking
- Elimination of one small ball field and re-doing of two fields
- A synthetic track surrounding a multi-purpose field with lighting
- Bleachers
- Irrigation
Brainerd Park
- Expand existing field to 300' and add another 300' field
- Eliminate one of the entrances and have only one entrance
- Parking improvements
- Basketball
- Play area for handicapped individuals
- Tot lot
- Bank Ball
- Spray pool
- Pavilion (accommodates office and restrooms)
Green Manor Pool & Bathhouse
- New pool (from zero depth to 8.5 feet)
- Bath house facility (contains changing rooms and showers)
- A concession stand
- New playground equipment
- Parking improvements
Shaker Soccer Complex
- Some reconfiguration of existing fields so that two fields can fit and the creation of a new soccer field, which will result in a net gain of two soccer fields at this facility.
- Gravel parking added and expansion of current parking spaces
- A walking trail around the perimeter
Little League Ball Field Lighting
- The lighting of two fields - Powder Hollow and Asnuntuck Community College
He displayed a cost summary as follows:
- Enfield High School - $3,134,000
- Fermi High School - $1,745,000
- Brainerd Park - $2,710,000
- Green Manor Park - $1,675,000
- Shaker Complex - $ 550,000
- Little League Lights - $ 136,000
- Total - $9,950,000
Mr. Shanley stated the impact would be approximately one half mil per year for 15 years. He explained if this referendum passes, the Town would not sell $9 million dollars in bonds next year, but rather they'd create final plans and sell bonds when the money is needed, therefore, the impact would be phased in.
Referring to maintenance, Mr. Shanley explained it would be necessary to have on-going costs in the budget once the investments were made, i.e., seeding and irrigation. He estimated $150,000 per year.
Chairman Vayda stated an often asked question is why a referendum at this time when the economy is so bad. He pointed out this whole project has been in the works for a long time. He stated in the past the Town took surveys as to what would make this a more desirable community, and recreation rated very high. He noted other things that came out of that survey included roadwork, school construction and a senior center. He stated when the Council put this referendum together, they actually could have done a lot more, and many things had to be put aside. He noted they prioritized the items they thought were most important based on feedback they received. He acknowledged the fact there has been a downturn in the economy, however, they thought they would give the voters an opportunity to decide if they wanted to go forward with these projects.
Chairman Vayda spoke about the benefit in investing in the Town's assets, which need to be maintained and improved otherwise they will deteriorate and lose value. He pointed out the objective is to make Enfield a desirable place to live.
Councilman Mangini agreed with Chairman Vayda and added it's important the community invest in its future. She went on to state her belief they should make every opportunity possible to meet the goals of the Town's youth. She went on to note this referendum not only serves the youth. She pointed out Brainerd Park improvements will include recreational opportunities for handicapped individuals. She spoke about the importance of Enfield moving forward.
Mr. Hilinski spoke about the improvements to the athletic fields at Enfield and Fermi High Schools. He noted he attended Enfield High School from 1962 to 1966, and those fields were wet then and they're still wet. He pointed out that as a Board of Education member he gets a lot of feedback regarding athletics. He noted track teams around Connecticut do not want to come to Enfield's track fields due to their poor condition and concerns about safely running on those tracks. He went on to note Enfield has a very large soccer program and there's always a shortage of soccer fields. He spoke about the popularity of the Green Manor Pool over the years and that people came from all over Enfield to use that pool, particularly for swimming lessons.
Mr. Thomson pointed out sports is the biggest extracurricular activity that the youth are involved in. He spoke about the importance of maintaining fields so that students have a safe playing environment. He pointed out many other schools consider Enfield's track fields unsafe for competition. He went on to note drainage has been a problem for many years at the Enfield High School athletic fields. He pointed out more and more communities are lighting their fields.
Mr. Sinsigalli stated the need for these projects is real and these projects will benefit young and older people. He spoke of the importance of updating and maintaining the Town's facilities. He pointed out this work is ten to twelve years overdue. He estimated a cost increase of 6% per year for each year this work is delayed. He concluded stating delays are costly and the need is great.
Chairman Vayda invited speakers to come forward.
William Trumper, 41 Middlesex Drive
Suggested these items be prioritized and completed in that order. Chairman Vayda stated the Council is convinced these are the right items to do and they did prioritize those projects they felt were most important.
Mr. Trumper pointed out there are people in Enfield that are hard pressed to pay their taxes.
Chairman Vayda stated Enfield is far below most communities in debt ratio.
Margaret Jedziniak, 232 Abbe Road
Stated after 15 years, this referendum will cost taxpayers $13 million dollars. She noted there was no mention of reimbursements. She added her belief this isn't the proper time to be having a referendum. She questioned why information handouts weren't distributed this evening.
Chairman Vayda stated if the Town spent money to advertise this referendum or provided documentation, it could be construed that the Council is trying to influence the voters. He noted there is written documentation about the referendum available at the public library. He went on to note the Town did look into any possible reimbursements, and the Council never claimed there would be any reimbursements. He added they were told not to expect any reimbursements for these projects.
Sal Fiore, Grove Road
Commended the Town Council for putting this referendum together. He noted he has been a volunteer coach in Enfield for many years. He spoke about the poor condition of the fields and tracks at the high schools. He noted other coaches sometimes do not want to come to Enfield due to the poor condition of the fields and safety concerns. He stated if his taxes have to go up $40 to $80 per year to do this work, he would proudly pay those taxes.
Elizabeth Mullen, Quaker Lane
Stated she is a senior at Enfield High School and is speaking on behalf of the athletes. She stated the fields are not safe. She pointed out the condition of athletic fields should never be a safety factor in sports. She noted one team would not play in Enfield for five consecutive years because of the poor condition of the fields. She stated Enfield athletes only want fields comparable to other towns that meet regulations. She noted she does not look at this as a money issue, but rather a safety concern. She added her belief that economically this is a better time to move forward with a referendum due to the lower interest rates.
Ms. Mullen pointed out participation in sports creates better grades.
Thomas Tyler, 18 Bridge Lane
Suggested alternative ways of draining the Enfield High School athletic fields. Chairman Vayda stated if the referendum passes, they could determine the specifics regarding drainage at Enfield High School. Mr. Shanley added the architects have a conceptual plan, and they're aware of the current drainage situation at Enfield High School as relates to the Head Start building being built.
Mr. Tyler stated in the past the Town paid money to drain water from Enfield Street School and Enfield High School. He noted that water was drained off in a southwesterly direction into a pond and then into the Connecticut River. He encouraged the Town to make use of that drainage arrangement with this project. He noted he would not want to see a large expenditure of money to find another way to drain water from Enfield High School when that drainage accommodation has already been made.
Chairman Vayda pointed out the drainage, as it currently exists, isn't working and they will have to determine how to improve that. Mr. Tyler stated they already have the capability to run the drainage into an existing easement, and perhaps the engineers could concentrate in that area.
Don Christmas, 25 Lincoln Street
Questioned why the Town can't cut back somewhere else to pay for grounds and recreation. He suggested students have fundraisers to pitch in for this expense. He pointed out if this referendum passes, it will be a financial burden to him.
Mr. Shanley stated the Town Charter does not allow the Town to spend more than $400,000 on any one project without a referendum.
Councilman Mangini pointed out many teams do fund raising and raise as much money as they can to offset costs.
Chairman Vayda agreed with Councilman Mangini and noted the youth of the community have been doing things to try to support various programs.
Sean Sweeney, 72 Oakwood Street
Stated his belief this should be addressed as an investment in the community. He noted improving the infrastructure of the Town should be taxpayers number one priority. He added his belief improvements to Brainerd Park would serve the whole community. He stated his belief this referendum should not become a young people vs old people issue.
David Vesce, 20 Gem Grove
Stated families are moving out of his neighborhood due to the noise coming from JFK Middle School athletic events. He added he's also concerned about excessive lighting from JFK Middle School. He went on to speak about the financial burden this referendum will place on people on fixed incomes. He stated his belief they should concentrate more on improving education.
Michael Rudloff, 17 Standish Street
Stated the athletic fields are deplorable. He noted he is a coach and he's embarrassed about the condition of the fields. He added he would have liked to see more items included in this referendum. He went on to question whether there will be a lit field at Brainerd Park, and Chairman Vayda stated his understanding there will be a lit field at Brainerd Park. Mr. Jones added the field at Brainerd Park is predominantly for Women's Softball.
Mr. Rudloff questioned the liability insurance regarding the Green Manor pool. Mr. Shanley stated the reason the old pool was closed had to do with the liability risk due to its deteriorating condition. Ms. Keller added her understanding every activity has a risk associated with it, and it's all covered under the Town's insurance. Mr. Shanley stated the important thing in risk management is that the Town's facilities meet standards.
Ron LaRussa, 35 Parker Street
Stated his belief the Town should have maintained the athletic fields over the years. He went on to note that in Windsor Locks parents paid for the lights for their fields. He suggested Enfield have Saturday/Sunday afternoon soccer games as they do in Windsor Locks.
Mr. LaRussa voiced his opposition to this referendum. He referred to the difficulty some people are having in paying their taxes. He stated his belief children don't need a lot of frills in order to enjoy sports.
Elizabeth Mullen, Quaker Lane
Stated Enfield students are attending this evening's information session by their own free will.
Chris Hohn, 13 Southwood Road
Stated he is a senior at Enfield High School. He stated his belief the fields in Enfield are in bad shape. He noted due to poor drainage games had to be postponed. He pointed out the tracks are basically rock, which makes running dangerous. He stated he should not have to put himself at risk playing sports on deteriorating fields. He noted neighboring towns such as Ellington and Stafford have state-of-the-art fields.
Mr. Hohn pointed out the honor roll list will show many of those students are involved in sports.
Mary Ann Turner, 7 Meadow Road
Stated maintenance has not been done. She questioned the need for two separate sets of athletic fields. She noted there was an earlier idea of putting together one central athletic facility as Asnuntuck College, but due to the lease, this is not possible.
Ms. Turner stated her belief there are dollars in the budget that could do things in this town that could alleviate the burden on the taxpayer.
Deb Stefaniak, 196 South Road
Stated there's a great need for field improvements, however, she does not believe everything had to be lumped together. She stated her belief the liability with the swimming pool is far greater than the liability on athletic fields. She noted she doesn't support all aspects of the referendum.
Councilman Strom stated the pool is replacing the pool that was taken away. She pointed out the old pool did not meet standards for at least 15 years. She stated the Green Manor Pool was used by many people throughout Enfield. She noted this pool was also used for swimming lessons. She noted by having a pool up to code, the liability decreases. She pointed out the pools at Fermi and JFK are not always available for the general public because swim teams use those pools.
Councilman Strom stated in the long run they wouldn't be saving money if they broke up the referendum question.
Chairman Vayda agreed with Councilman Strom. He stated he does know that there are a lot of people that want the Green Manor Pool replaced.
Robert Michaud, 17 Glendale Road
Stated he has been coaching for about 17 years and he finds the softball fields deplorable. He noted he is living on a very fixed income, but he's willing to pay the extra for these improvements.
Kevin Collins, 14 Field Road
Stated he's the President of the Thompsonville Little League. As concerns fund raising, Mr. Collins pointed out his league spent $11,000 of their limited budget this year for capital improvements. He voiced his support of the referendum.
Roger Pease, 12 Gorman Avenue
Stated he's the President of the Enfield Little League. He spoke about the need for lighting the Little League fields. He noted with lighting there wouldn't be a big rush to get to the fields before dark. He stated if games were scheduled for 7:30, the games would be over by 9:00 p.m. He noted evening games provide more opportunities for parents to participate. He stated at this time they're only getting 2% parent participation. He noted lighting one 60' field and one 90' field would be the best way to go since the whole town would then have a lit baseball field to use. He questioned why the 90' field was dropped form the referendum. Chairman Vayda stated they were trying to keep the costs down as much as possible.
Romulo Cabeza, 304 Brainard Road
Stated his belief schools make a town. He stated his belief new fields would move this school system from an excellent system to a stellar system. He stated his hope the whole community would come together to improve the town. He voiced his support of the referendum and noted he benefits only by the use of the athletic track.
Joe Cannella, 18 Marshall Road
Noted he is a coach, and the fields are in poor condition. He added his belief Enfield must be doing something right because new homes are being built and purchased in Enfield. He stated he believes in keeping children on the fields and off the streets. He concluded stating it's time to address the deteriorating fields.
Amanda Michaud, 17 Glendale Road
Stated she feels very strongly about the referendum. She noted she has been playing softball since she was six years old, and she has had numerous injuries due to the condition of the fields. She stated they have to clean the fields of rocks and glass before they play and other teams laugh at Enfield's fields.
Steven Bartus, 72 Ridge Road
Stated his belief the $9.9 million dollars is a good investment. He stated after he completes his education, he would like to return and live in Enfield. He stated his hope he will be returning to an improved Enfield. He noted according to his calculation, the cost is $6 per month for this investment.
Mr. Bartus pointed out recreation provides the opportunity for people to come together.
Donna Szewczak, 35 South Road
Spoke in support of this referendum. She pointed out it took ten years to pass the referendum for school expansion projects, and the cost became much higher as a result.
Connie Boyajian, 165 Sherman Road
Spoke in favor of the referendum. She noted that since she lives in a small house, the cost of this referendum for her would be about $50 per year.
Charles Wood, 11 Westerly Drive
Noted he would vote for this referendum if he could be sure taxes wouldn't be raised any further.
Mr. Wood suggested having one central sports complex and do away with all the sports fields at the schools. He noted they could also do away with the coaches at those schools and probably save some money for the Board of Education and possibly lower taxes.
Chairman Vayda stated the Council has looked at one central facility. He noted to run a sports program out of a consolidated complex creates some significant scheduling problems for the high schools. He added there's also the issue of opportunity. He noted he personally likes the idea of two medium-sized high schools in Enfield, and he feels there's a lot of benefit to that in a community of this size instead of one large high school. He noted it may cost more, but the end result is two better high schools, and there would be more opportunities for the students to participate in sports. He stated the goal is to provide a learning experience for the students to develop and become good citizens in the future, therefore, he believes it's worth the price.
Mr. Wood stated he does not believe the Town looks at economy of scale or cutting back taxes. He stated his belief there's about 38% of the people on fixed incomes. He noted other towns have a lot lower tax rate than Enfield. He questioned the tax abatements given to businesses.
Councilman Strom stated the tax breaks the Town has been giving businesses has been tied to jobs. She noted companies do not get the tax break unless they keep the level of employment up.
Chairman Vayda stated there are very rigid rules about how tax abatements are handled.
Mr. Thomson pointed out the idea of combining the high schools came up in the past, and this idea did not go over very well with the community.
Councilman Mangini commended those students who attended this evening's meeting.
Frank Jedziniak, 232 Abbe Road
Stated his belief taxpayers cannot afford this referendum. He stated he does not support the referendum.
Francis Nai, 31 Brainard Road
Noted he worked for the Parks and Recreation Department for 25 years. He noted he helped build and maintain 38 ball fields and his department received many compliments about the condition of the fields. He expressed his disappointment about the poor maintenance of the fields over the years. He stated his hope that if this referendum passes, the new fields will be maintained properly.
Chairman Vayda agreed it's crucial the fields be properly maintained.
Chairman Vayda stated the next Information Session is scheduled for October 16th.
As no one else wished to speak, Chairman Vayda closed the Information Session at
10:28 p.m.
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