001United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Hello everyone. Um we are here um tonight at 6:30 for a public hearing on a referendum question regarding a construction project at Gainfield Elementary School and Pontra Elementary School. Um just as a background um tonight we're at the final stretch of a marathon been going on for a few years regarding our two oldest elementary schools. Um there's a vast amount of information on our two websites that encapsulates the work that's been done up to this point. But just to give a brief uh summary for the public hearing, uh this started with the opportunity for a repair bond a few years back. Um and we knew that Gainfield and Pompro needed significant
002repairs, but we also knew that they required um more study and likely would cost more than the repair bonds 11 million. So GES and PS were specifically excluded from that repair bond. Once our communities graciously approved that repair bond, the board of ed turned our focus to Gainfield and Pontra Elementary. The board of ed created the feasibility study committee about two years ago made up of various stakeholders from our community involving town officials, principles, teachers, board members, um parents. Um and the charge to the feasibility study committee was to recommend an architect to the board of education and to recommend exactly what to do about Painfield and Paparank Elementary School. The feasibility study committee met regularly for over and explored the existing conditions of both of those schools and got reports the various community conversations
003that were conducted about the schools and think tanks that were undertaken over the course of months. The feasibility study committee looked at the options of renovating versus building new schools. They looked at state reimbursement options. Um they debated one big school versus two smaller schools. And the feasibility study committee ultimately recommended um to the board event to purchase a new property and build one big school. But they knew if a property couldn't be found, they recommended two new schools on the existing properties. And if for some reason that didn't work out, they recommended a new school at Gainfield and a building PEES on a new property. The board of education then undertook its own due diligence uh taking into consideration the recommendations of the feasibility study committee. We looked at several land options to see
004if we could do that one big school, but there were no properties that were big enough that were viable. Ultimately, after many more meetings with uh Tecton helping us, um we decided that the best viable option was the two new schools on the existing properties, we are now here at this hearing to give the public another opportunity to provide feedback to the board of ed regarding this construction project and to ask questions. Um we have representatives here from Tecton Architects as well as Lenroy Becky who's our bond attorney um to answer questions. What I was going to do is give everyone um two minutes for a comment or a question. Um this hearing is over at 7:30. Um so you're all welcome to, you know, come up and state your name by your town of
005residence and ask your questions or give your comments. Um, but before we start that, I wanted to give the opportunity um for um Jeff from Techtown Architects to give us um explain a new change that's happened recently that might be relevant to this public hearing and the board. >> The microphone is like on top over here. Yeah. >> Okay. So, >> or Jeff, you're welcome to come and sit at the table, too. I want to keep my back to >> Yeah. So, >> uh, good evening everybody. Uh, Jeff Wisinski, principal at TechN Architects. Good to see you all. Um, so there was this during the month of March, um, the DAS over the last year or so has been working on some uh, modifications to the administration of grants for the uh, school building construction
006projects. And I may have mentioned this at some of the community conversations or at our work workshops, but um the biggest component there's there's many different revisions in this um so the either revised guidelines as of this month. um the tracking number if if those from the public or from the board want to to look it up, it's um just type in uh state of Connecticut and the number is PR2024-046. It was >> I'm sorry. >> I'll send it out to the board. >> Sure. It was posted um 314205. So again, a lot of modifications to the school construction guidelines process, grants um related components. Um and one of the biggest ones that we've been tracking is um the cost per square foot um for for building construction. Um so what they're proposing um is
007an allowable cost per square foot per grade. And for the proposed projects that are um the topic of discussion for tonight, uh again, pre-K to five. So grades in their table, grades K through grade five is at uh $494 a square foot. Now, there are some questions um that we've we and others have placed, those that follow this and track this and the projects that are affected by this, the grant applications. Um the questions are is that just for the building costs, our site costs excluded, our soft costs excluded. So we think that that's just the building related costs. $494 a square foot. We're we're tracking new buildings in that 600 range as as we talked about during the entire process. So this um guideline for grant applications is our understanding of it and and
008again this is all kind of newer information that was past. Our understanding of it is that that um table of of capping the construction cost would be effective for grant applications July 1 of 2026 which means basically next year's grant applications. So, it's something that I think we've been updating the this board, the community at the the three community conversations about. Um, and just want to bring it to this group's attention and the community. Um, again, there's still some open questions there, but it's a it's an important one to your community and how it would impact. What it could effectively do is essentially if you're above that $494 a square foot, it it's likely that the community would pay, you know, the costs above that. >> So, the reason we wanted to bring that up
009tonight is there were some questions about why now. >> Sure. >> Uh our grant application plan is to submit by June 30th of this year. uh assuming that our May 6th referendum passed this uh there's been some challenges as to we don't know what's going to happen in the future and if some of the well it's true legislation that's starting to session um would impact us if we push this project down the road. So >> I was gonna Can you put that number into context? Can you compare it to what the current delta versus the new change would be? Because to hear 494 square foot >> is arbitrary if you don't know where we're coming in from. >> Yeah. So if it's if the 494 is applicable just to building costs, which we believe it
010is, >> right? So, like this is where it gets a little bit of like is that building cost or site cost, but if you figure kind of we're going to put together an analysis for you, but about $200 less per square foot u now that depends on how many square feet. So, you know, do you make the u size of the building smaller? Do does the reimbursement effectively become less? Um and so that's where I think you want to spend a little bit of time like my $200 back of the napkin. >> Can I just make sure I'm understanding? So the original was 600 per square foot reimburseable and now you think this new effective July one it'll be 494. >> So is that how this should be interpreted? Let me see if I So,
011currently there's no cap on construction cost per square, >> right? >> We the budgets that everybody's seen and we published and we've been communicating over the last say year in this process track building construction cost at between six $600 to $615 a square foot. The new cap that would be applied through next year for this grade level configuration is $494. So it's $106 less than what what we see in the current market. Um there's some questions that um will be part of the dialogue. How does escalation work? Because because the state's expecting us to escalate to the bid of construction. So does that apply? you know, how often are they going to update these numbers? So, there's still some questions, but it's prudent to bring this information to this to this board so that they're
012aware of that that applic that that changes. So, it doesn't affect if you apply prior to the June 30th deadline this year. That cap is effective July one, which means basically next year is granted. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Just one more thing. So that and that cap that the reimbursement will be based that on x% of that cap. >> Yeah. So whatever your reimbursement rate if you're in the 65ish range it's you're going to get 65% off of the 490. >> Thank you. >> Question. >> All right. So now we're gonna Oh, go ahead. >> So I just wanted a clarification question because I think at most board meetings we offer the public three minutes. Like I just don't like if people prepared that we were gonna have like I don't know if
013they did or didn't. >> I'm trying to be cognizant of time. >> Yeah. How many people if you don't mind raising your hand? How many people are going to plan to give a comment or question? >> Okay. So then I think there's enough for three minutes. I think that would be fine. I just wanted to make sure that there's enough to accommodate everyone. >> Um >> some people pre-time in advance. So that's why I know some people comment like I've pre-timed it and if we change it >> I'm just trying to make sure everyone gets up there. So um we go ahead and start the the commenter questions and I will I will time you with my um my phone if you could just come up to the podium your name and your town and
014I'll start the clock. >> You can you can just come up. You don't have to raise your hand. >> I just wanted raising hands and see how many people say something. if you could come to the podium that would be great and just state your name and your town of residence and yeah my name is Jessica Dis I'm a resident of Southbury I'm also one of the co-presidents of the gamefield PTO the plan that's proposed is to have two separate sites there is discussion around town saying that there could potentially be one mega school on a different location is that what is potentially happening here this is like what's happening is this what we're voting on at referendum that mega school is Correct. >> Different topics. So, we'd rather let school comments first. >> Nope.
015You could do we're not limited to content. >> Well, we're kind of here to comment on that >> the term. So, we don't want to screw up. >> We don't want to start talking about these schools. It it's up to whoever wants to come up and comment. We're not going to limit anyone's comments or in the content of anyone's comments. >> Uh, hi Joe Salvador resident up in middle area came back when I had kids. Uh, currently a the vice president of uh football warriors as well as a fresh coach at the high school. As far as schools go, um, seven to 14 in taxes. I think it said it would be raised. nice to actually know that that little portion that I face going to school. So, all for that. Um, as far as
016the turf goes, I understand it's not going to be something we're necessarily have going on today, but um I know the old field is probably be up on the docket. It's a great opportunity for us to do both at the same time. I know the field we're talking about is that right school, but the one that's basically just loyal to Geese all the time. >> Um, we have a lot of youth sports. My son plays football, plays lacrosse, does baseball. Space is always the issue. Um, we're one of two schools in the entire state, I believe, US mass that don't have two turf fields. It's kind of a standard now in a high school setting to have at least more than one turf field on sports field going on. Um, so I think it's a
017great opportunity when you guys argue about start talking about it, especially when they were talking about repairing the next field that doesn't have the correct logo on it anymore that we would bring up a second turf over there. Um, the school when I went here, uh, Chuck D was the coach passed away tragically two years ago. We still have nothing here memorializing him. That turf field would be a great option for us, I think, if we were to go that route. Southernington spent like nine years there. stuff all over the place memorializing him. Um but yeah, I think it's it's something that we desperately need in town. Schools definitely need I mean the kids here if they're not getting the best education, the best um opportunities from like a sports perspective, I think we're missing
018out as a community here. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Follow up on that topic. Mike Helanch, resident of Southbury. Um, thank you all for all of the time you spend volunteering. Um, certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Um, understand the commitment it takes to serve. Um, and while I'm not volunteering to the extent you are, grateful that you're hearing us out, um, certainly here to advocate for a second turf field. Um, really I believe it's far bigger than just football or cheer or just one sport. Um it's really about creating an opportunity for all athletes in our region, including um alignment we've made um with our soccer and and local lacrosse communities. Um honor fields, our football athletes specifically are dedicating at least five days a week uh two to three hours a night uh
019for practice. Um in that time, they are not just practicing a sport. Um they're learning teamwork, respect, accountability, resilience. um they're building confidence, really forming lifelong bonds and developing skills that will stay with them long after um their playing days are over over. Um we've worked incredibly hard last year coming into this year as a new board um to work alongside the Pop Rock High School uh football and cheer coaches to build what we're calling a true theater program. So our athletes will now be showing up at the high school level prepared, confident, and ready to contribute. Um, this is how we strengthen our schools, specifically from an athletic uh perspective, our programs and our community. Um, unfortunately, as we can see today, our infrastructure is just not keeping up with the growth of our
020our student athletes currently. Um, as Joe said, I was shocked to learn that PMRO was Pomber and Monroe are among the only schools in the state uh without access to a second turf field. So meanwhile on our end um participation continues to grow and demand truly uh continues to increase. Um as we all know when it rains the town closes the fields. Uh when um fields close, practices get cancelled, schedules get severely compressed. Obviously too often with that being said um our athletes lose valuable time. So, um, in many cases when this happens, we're forced to rent indoor turf space, um, in other towns, coincidentally rival towns such as New Town, um, just to keep our kids practicing. Um, this can cost nearly upwards of a thousand dollars a night. Um, times that it's a
021rainy week, times five. Uh, very be very clear, um, putting a strain on our our nonprofit budget. So, these are fun, but should be going directly back to supporting our athletes in our opinion. Um, second tier field, not just about sports, guys. Uh, it's about access, safety, consistency, and opportunity for all of our student athletes. Um, I understand the responsibility you all carry uh and making these decisions, but I I urge you to view this as an investment uh in our students and the future of the community. Um, this goes far beyond athletics and athletes here. It's about building a generation of hardworking, resilient young people, which we all know we need. Uh who show up no matter the condition. Uh they learn discipline, accountability, and grow into active contributing members of society. To me,
022that's the return on investment. So, our kids are showing up, our coaches are showing up, our families are showing up. Tonight, I just ask that we allow this project to move forward in the proper ways um and vote um so so the community can have a voice. Um it's bigger than fields. I think it's just about giving uh our kids the opportunity they deserve. Thank you guys. Thank you all. >> If you could speak up, the mic is over here. So, yeah. Yeah, those are good. >> I'll just look up there. Sorry, I have a bit of a cold tonight, so my throat is a little bit big. But in any case, um my name is Michael Kaplan. I live in South Perry. My daughter is a student at Bob Rock Elementary. One of the
023reasons that my wife and I uh chose to move into this area was the excellent reputation of the schools. And thanks like Mrs. Sperman, uh we have not been disappointed. Um, one thing that I haven't heard a lot of yet and I might just be looking in the wrong places is I'm trying to get a sense for what life be like for the students during this construction because um I think in some cases um you know I've seen projects go on where and imagine these are mid-century schools there could be asbestous is there going to be a lot of construction construction perhaps over the summertime so kids are less exposed to it. Um and I guess the other part of the question also is knowing that we're making the choice to build on these same
024sites are we sure that the location of these buildings is optimal for the sites that they're going to be put on. So for instance at case entry the new rendering shows the road a lot closer to interstate 84. It's a lot closer to car exhaust. It's a lot closer to slopes that could cause water problems. And of course, all of this is able to be remediated. Uh the architects can figure that out. But I just uh wanted to speak to that um fact that, you know, building in this way that we've chosen to we don't get sort of the the first pick on the site where we want to put that building. And so we might end up with something down the road if we look at it and say, "Gosh, if we only just
025took a little more time to think it over." Um, so again, not, you know, asking to kind of, you know, stop the train or anything like that, but just wanted to make the point that a lot of times, uh, when you do this, when you're reusing the same site, you're using the empty space that's there. Um, but it may not be if if the lot look completely empty where you want to build it in the first place. So again, yeah, if anybody is just willing to comment, I just want to understand from a student's perspective what we'd expect to see. >> I think your questions are excellent, Mr. Havlin. Um, and I'm glad that you asked them. Um, before I turn this over to, um, Mr. Smith, I'm going to ask if you could answer
026them, but the board of ed did a field trip to Cheshire Elementary School and they were building a new school right next to their current old school, elementary school. And I think that was a very productive um visit for the board of ed to see how um you know yes there was some impact to education but they also welcomed it and incorporated it and did a lot of the work during the summer. But I'll turn over um to Mr. Smith's answer your questions. >> Sure. I'll invite Tom jump in if I miss anything or add. Um, you know, we started this project a couple years ago with a roof analysis um and followed the the trail where it led. So, we looked for four or five plots at every a property in town. Um, and
027this wasn't necessarily where we started this journey. Uh, but we followed where it took us and where uh the property became available. So, you know, I think it's a good question and, you know, we started with looking for kind of a pristine piece and exhausted all of those options. Um, I do think, you know, we we many people at this table asked those same questions and other communities that have faced this have asked those questions. One of the things I thought was really interesting was um the conversation we had with to your point, engineers can build buildings anywhere. Um but when we talk about the knowledge we have of softscape and hardcape and construction materials now didn't have in the 60s uh the building you're going to get is going to be more soundproof more
028efficient. The air quality will be better. Our ability to mitigate some of those concerns of the highway. Um, you know, what we're understanding is that even though the will be closer, the building itself quieter inside because at least the building that we have now, um, is not a sealed envelope. So, there's gaps and windows and soundproofing that we'll have in the new building that's wrapped. And I'm looking to my friend Tech there to do a better job of engineering specs than than I typic. But I I think that uh, you know, our modern day building uh, capacity is better than it was in the60s. Um, and so that where we build it is going to be a structurally better, more efficient, and more pleasant building than the building that we have. Um, if you've been
029in PES, uh, I'm not the tallest person, shocker, um, at this table. And there there's no school that I can touch the ceiling at. Um, when I was in second grade at PES, it looked like it was really high and now it doesn't seem so high. So I do think like just the construction advantage that we're going to have on that new building will will mitigate some of those concerns. Do think we spent full afternoon at the uh Cheshure building site, their building right next to it. Uh it was really good to talk to the principal um and the uh the foreman on site and they invited students to be a part of it. They actually took the barrier. They had they had fencing but they had um kind of these sound venting blankets over
030the fencing so the construction during the day was uh mitigated. Um they actually removed some of that because the students wanted to be able to watch and so they had conversations about that building um that I think were helpful and your point about kind of hazardous materials um there is hazardous you know asbestous and things in that building um every building that time period has it that communication will happen in the summertime and most of the major construction the demoing the cranes to the extent possible will happen in the summer. Did we get anything out there Jeff? >> No. Does that answer your question? >> Yes. Yes. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good evening Salbury. Um, so quick I guess just to uh tell you a little about who I am. So I've served
031many of the quarterback games. I've served on your meetings over the last two years as you guys have gone through this process and I appreciate all the work you guys did. Um in the last meeting it was brought up that uh the turf field there was some comments about I'd like to see some personalized uh comments from individual community members. Um so I just want to tell you who I am as a parent here. Um so again my name is Derek. I live in Southbury. I have four little kids. I have one who lives at Gainfield and three more that will go there eventually. Um I'm an Army veteran. I'm a high school chemistry and physics teacher. I have my 092 in uh intermediate supervision schools. Uh I will start ID next year at Yukon.
032I'm also a member of cross board here in town and I was also a college lacrosse player. Um I've coached high school varsity lacrosse. Um I coach here now little kids and eighth graders. Um so first of all I live here in software. Um, I'm incredibly grateful to live in Southbury. Uh, my wife and I chose this town in 2017, 2018 and we have loved it. I think it's the best town in all of Connecticut. Um, for all the things you guys have done to make it what it is, our school system, um, but also like our community, the parents, people that live here, the supports, uh, all the other things going on here. There's so many good things that happen here. It's really a nice community to be a part of. Um, I'm incredibly
033grateful to my first grader at Gamefield, Mr. Romeo. Um, every single day he comes home, he's incredibly happy. Got a great day at school. Um, got great teachers from Mrs. Yan Tuno and Mr. Showing last year, Mrs. Hayes and Mr. D teacher this year. Um, Miss D, Mr. Swang, Mr. Saginio, Mr. Y, all the people infield, if you ever go in there, which I'm sure many of you have, it is just exceptional place and that's largely connected to Mumbo. Um, every night I tell my son's stories before bed and uh the heroes in the stories are always Godzilla and Mr. Roman. So very very grateful to live here very happy to spend my other kids elementary school in the future. Um over the last two years I've been going through the process of getting my
034own 92 and many of my hours have been spent serving many of the meetings. I don't come to them in person but I watch them on YouTube. Um, and so really grateful to all that you guys have done over the last years, all the effort you put in, the way that you guys hold yourselves, the way you guys communicate with one another, always respectfully, and I really appreciate that. I admire it. Um, so thank you guys very much. Um, I think that, uh, everything you guys have done to get us point is incredibly important. The schools are what make this town as great as it is, and we'll continue to bring it into the future. Um, and I think you guys have observed much of it. Um I think you landed on the great the
035best option and I'm very appreciative of that. Um in terms of the other aspect turf field piece um I just want to say that I think turf field is very important second tier field there's already product made or reason behind it. Um, the only thing that I want to add to that is as a former high school varsity cross coach, um, and a high school teacher, there's a lot of connection between kids that's missing and sports really connects kids together. And having more access to more field space, uh, at the high school level will really help support that because if you look, numbers have dropped in most athletics and high school while they're growing in youth level. Um, and so it's important for youth, but it's also >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Anyone
036else have any questions? Sorry. Um, I appreciate you considering her field as Michaela Joe articulated well. Um, I think it's something more do. I understand taxation and we're this big conservative community and you know it's kind of you know you got to deal with the Heritage Village lobby as I say and people that are not maybe interested in it for their children's sake but I think as a particular mass being the only other team in our league and I enumerated to Miss Manzo in my emails there are towns that are I hate to say this don't judge towns on you know soio economics that are either so socioeconomically are equal or you know less so that have more surf fields you know at the drop of a hat if we have sprinkles our fields are
037closed for what reason I don't know not to denigrate parks and wrecks but we don't have the best grass anyways so I don't know what we're really destroying if we play it when it's wet but um yeah I think it's something that's long overdue I would even go so far and I know this is financially another burden to have a lighted turf field as in New Milford has lighted turf field has three at their high school. Um, I know when I was looking at a home, Brookfield's pretty much on par with us. New Town, I think, has four, multiple life fields. Um, yeah, and I I think it's, as everybody who has spoken on this already has said, it's something that is important for the kids. Sports at the end all beat, as my wife
038will tell me, I get a little too uh sad sometimes, but it is important. And somebody who has two kids who have played sports here, one in eighth grade and one in fourth grade, they love it. And it's important. It creates a sense of identity. And I also want to second what Joe Salvador said. I had the opportunity to meet Chuck Dick. He I did not attend Popar High School, but he's a great man. He deserves recognition and deserves to be recognized any type of field or or project that moves forward. Thank you. >> Thank you. How you doing? >> My name is O'Neal of Middbury. Um, so I moved here in 2017 for the schools. Uh, I have three small kids. They all play sports. Uh, all all different types of sport. Don't want
039to keep repeating what president and the vice president have said. I agree totally with what they have said. So I don't want to keep going over it, but most of the sports are played or my kids are in spring and fall and the percentage of rain that time of year it's very high. All the grass fields get closed and we do the same thing. You get the email at 3:00. We don't know. We're waiting on the Paris Rex if we can go and if we can't no practice. the team we're pick competing against, they're practicing because they got the turf fields, you know, they got indoor facilities in their backyard. We don't have any of that. I think this turf field is like it's not like even it should be like really up high. You
040know, when you look at our high school, we go and we compete in I could name any town, the facilities they have, it's embarrassing to bring them back here. our facilities. It really is guys. Even the bachings, it's just like it's just embarrassing. I just hope you know you'll take it that like I came here for a pound for the schools. I love it. But the sports is being neglected in a big way. And like if you go on a Friday night here and you go into the bathrooms down here, they're disgusting. You know, we only have one field. when it rains, we all have to stay at home. It's just not good enough for the taxes we pay and I think it should be prioritized for the kids. That's all I say. Thank you.
041>> Thank you. >> Anyone else? Yes, attorney. >> Y Mr. attorney right back to you. >> Do if if we're all done, there's no more comments, can we just end or do we have to just stay in public hearing until >> No, you've given everybody a chance. You've given them ample time for late comers to come. So, you're free to close the meeting. So, too. >> Okay. So, one last time, anyone have any questions or anything before we close the meeting? All right. And do we just close it with a motion to adjurnn or Okay. So, do I have is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Second. >> Okay. >> All right. So, Shannon made the motion to adjurnn. Heather Rogers second. All those in favor? >> All right. to be our journ until