Council Keeps Town Hall Building Committee Intact
NEWINGTON - The Newington Town Hall Renovation Project Building Committee will remain intact, at the very least, until after the new Town Council begins its work.

       On its last night at the table, the previous Council opted away from a motion that would have disbanded a Committee that, for the past year, has been working with architects from Kaestle Boos to draft a proposal for the future of the municipal building. It will be up to the new Town Council to decide whether or not to establish a new body for that purpose.

       â€"The idea of bringing all new people to start over again, there’s a part of me that feels it might be counterproductive,” said Councilor Beth Delbuono. â€"You have people who know so much.”

       Town Councilor Chris Banach echoed this sentiment.

       â€"I’d be very reluctant to let this Committee go,” Banach said. â€"Nothing in life trumps experience. This committee has a lot of experience behind it. It would be hard to reformulate that. I think it would be a huge loss to the town to let this Committee go.”

       Committee Chair Alan Bongiovanni said that he does not mind sticking around, and fellow committee member Rodney Mortensen spoke out against disbanding it, but not all of those who sat on the body were against forming a new body.

       â€"I think a fresh start is needed,” said Councilor David Nagel. â€"Not that I don’t respect those on the committee and what they have done. There’s no reason that whatever happens with a committee, the same people cannot be appointed.”

       A recent public hearing, during which most residents expressed opposition to a $34 million demolition and rebuild plan, prompted councilors to discuss where to take the project next in the absence of any indication that a referendum on the proposal would be successful. Last year, a $30 million proposal to renovate the Town Hall building and construct a new Mortensen Community Center on a Mill Pond Park parcel suffered a landslide defeat at referendum.

       â€"I think the committee has done everything we’ve asked and, while I think you have a good plan, it’s clear the community doesn’t,” said then-Mayor Stephen Woods. â€"I don’t think it’s good for the town and I don’t think it’s good for this project to send it to a referendum in which it’s more than likely to be doomed.”

       So whoever takes on the task will go back to the drawing board. If something is not done soon, escalating costs to maintain the Town Hall in its current state will become too expensive, Mortensen said.

       â€"I just don’t want to see the same thing in two years,” he said. â€"It needs to be done-instead of nitpicking everything. We got nothing accomplished and it shouldn’t have been for all the work and effort.”

       Councilor Beth McDonald agreed.

       â€"There’s an old saying about pennywise and pound foolish,” McDonald said. â€"We’re thinking about saving now and not thinking in terms of how that will affect us in the future.”

       Councilors and members of the public alike have suggested getting a second opinion on the cost and feasibility of both a renovation plan and a demolition/rebuild. That’s not to say that Kaestle Boos is not credible, just that a second set of eyes would allow Councilors and Building Committee members to do their due diligence, officials and residents have said.

       â€"This Council at least had the courage to try and move forward--we didn’t get it right,” Woods said. â€"I know that we’ll get there, and I’m optimistic that when we do, it’ll be the right building.”
MORE NEWINGTON NEWS  |  STORY BY MARK DIPAOLA  |  Nov 11 2015  |  COMMENTS?