The bond proposal put forth by the Woodstock Selectmen last night is a modest and much needed proposal of $2.5 million compared to the $7.42 million 2006 shopping list proposed in the capital improvement plan by the Wholean administration (see this proposal below). The unfortunate greed of the Wholean admininstration has tainted this bond proposal which is absolutely required by the State Environmental Protection Agency.
from the poorly written Norwich Bull article today:
“Town officials are seeking permission to bond $2.5 million … to demolish, expand or rebuild several buildings at the garage site, a plan that includes removing contaminated soil from the property.
The question will go to referendum Tuesday (December 8th). The money, if approved, would supplement a $500,000 state grant already received for the … $3 million project.
John Navarro, highway department foreman, said the Coatney Hill Road garage has a host of problems, most notably its size. He said the existing structure cannot accommodate the fleet of municipal vehicles. Eleven of them sit exposed to the elements and are in danger of incurring weather-related damage.”
also
“First Selectman Allan Walker Jr. said taking on the new bond will have a “negligible” effect on the town’s mill rate. He said the town’s existing debt load is set to decrease about the time the first payments on the new debt would be due, in 2013.
“This is the time to go out to bid on this,” he said. “Pricing is competitive and bond rates are the most attractive they’ve been in years.”
A portion of the bond money would fund construction of a bigger 10-bay garage, a new covered salt shed, well and septic system. A vehicle wash bay and employee facilities also would be built.
Roughly $1 million of the money would be used to remediate soil that was contaminated by leaking underground gasoline tanks, solid waste and salt.”
Mike Dougherty summed up the situation accurately by saying “We should do this now … It’s only going to be more expensive if we wait.”
Ms. Wholean’s Proposal which failed miserably in referendum (October 8th, 2006, article) is pasted below. Read the rest of this entry »
