Ellington Residents Discuss Additional Appropriation for Senior Center

On Monday evening, residents in Ellington gathered at a town meeting at Center School to discuss the potential of to the senior center project.

The meeting was sparsely attended, and only a few questions were asked.

One person asked how much it costs to do a referendum and why it can’t be done during the budget referendum.

First Selectman Maurice Blanchette said that it normally costs between $6,000 and $8,000 to do a referendum, and that due to timing issues – the project is set to break ground any day now – the referendum couldn’t be held at a later date.

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Another resident asked what had been cut from the project and Blanchette went through the list that includes automated doors, a carport, and landscaping.

Ronald Stomberg, who is on both the Permanent Building Committee and the Board of Selectmen, told the audience that renovations always cost more than new construction and that if the residents don’t see fit to handle this situation with an additional appropriation, the seniors will be back every year to try to make the project more complete through the capital improvements program.

“It will cost us more over the years to get a functioning, finished job,” he said.

He added that the feeling was that if the money is asked for now and the project gets done and finished, it won’t have to be talked about anymore.

In February 2012, voters went to the polls and approved the $2.5 million project by a vote of 1,340-573. However, when the bids started coming in, they were significantly higher. After the bids came in, the Permanent Building Committee began working with the involved parties to try to get the costs down.

On Tuesday, April 2, a referendum on the additional appropriation will take place from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. in the gymnasium at Ellington High School. Absentee ballots will be available from the town clerk.