A screen shot from the online public hearing.
ANSONIA — Residents and members of the Board of Aldermen want more information before deciding whether to send a $5 million bond package to voters
City government is currently investigating whether to borrow $5 million to fund four city initiatives, including:
- $3.1 to go toward the renovation of 65 Main St., a building that is being converted into a police department and municipal space.
- $1.5 million for road improvements
- $300,000 to purchase fire department vehicles, and for improvements to fire department facilities
- $100,000 for a recreational fields and facility study
The Cassetti administration, through corporation counsel John Marini, said the $5 million in borrowing would not increase taxes. The city has a chance to take advantage of low interest rates, officials said.
The Board of Aldermen and the city tax board held a public hearing on the potential bonding Tuesday on the web, using video conferencing software.
Audio from the public hearing is embedded below.
Many of the questions revolved around the money to be used for 65 Main St.
Voters already approved $12 million to renovate a chunk of the building into a police department. That renovation is 24 percent complete, and Mayor David Cassetti’s administration has said, and repeated Tuesday, that it is coming along within budget.
So why is the city looking for another $3.1 million for the building?
There was not a line-by-line breakdown of the $3.1 million during the public hearing, but city officials and representatives explained that the money is needed to renovate sections of the building that will not be part of the new police department. That work is outside of the previous $12 million approved by voters.
One of the floors within the building will be renovated for some type of municipal use to be decided by the Board of Aldermen, according to a document posted on the city’s website.
Windows are being replaced throughout the entire building. Money is also needed to purchase furniture and to move things from the current police department into the new department within 65 Main St.
The additional $3.1 million for 65 Main St. drew the attention of Second Ward Aldermen Tarek Raslan, who spoke on the subject at the public hearing and then at an Aldermen meeting held immediately after the public hearing.
He questioned going back to residents to ask for money again.
“We didn’t go out to the public and say $12 million referendum for hard costs, and, by the way, you’re going to be on the hook for $3 million in soft costs. We said $12 million for the police station, and now we’re being asked to deliver another three, and I want to know when did we know this,” Raslan said. “Was this a failure of due diligence on our part? Or was this a failure of disclosure on our part?”
Sheila O’Malley, the city’s economic development director and grant writer, disagreed with Raslan’s assessment. She said the additional money would be used to fully renovate the building, outside of the space that will be used by the cops.
“When you talk about $3.1 million dollars, you’re talking about the building in totality,” O’Malley said. “You’re talking about making sure a 65,000 square-foot building doesn’t go silent on one of the floors. You’re talking about a 65,000 square-foot building that gets completely renovated so that you don’t have a police station sitting in a totally vacant building,” she said. “What I’m trying to say is that we’re asking residents to please consider the entire building.”
But Raslan pointed out the size of the 65 Main St. didn’t come as a surprise.
“This building was a 65,000 square-foot building two years ago when we acquired it,” Raslan said.
O’Malley pointed out that when voters approved $12 million for a new police station in 2016, 65 Main St. wasn’t the intended location. It was originally supposed to be built on Olson Drive.
“I’m getting more and more concerned the more that I hear,” Raslan said.
Click the play button below to listen to the exchange between O’Malley and Raslan (which took place during the Aldermen meeting after the public hearing).
Some residents who spoke questioned whether now is the time to borrow money, given the fact the COVID-19 crisis has shut down the national economy. Unemployment claims are skyrocketing, businesses are shutting down, and the future is anything but certain.
Alderman Bill Phipps pointed out Mayor David Cassetti hasn’t shared a proposed budget with the Board of Aldermen, and that the COVID-19 crisis could wreak havoc on Ansonia’s finances if people are unable to pay taxes.
Alderman Tony Mammone suggested the board push the borrowing discussion until the May meeting of the Board of Aldermen. Before that date Aldermen will submit written questions for corporation counsel John Marini to research. The Aldermen also requested that answers be found for the many questions asked by the public.
The city is potentially eyeing a public referendum on the four projects in August, though some suggested it be pushed to November.
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