MISA, Fire House Plans Survive BET Budget Vote

In a surprise move, First Selectman Peter Tesei cobbled a financial compromise that will allow construction of both the MISA project at Greenwich High School and a temporary downtown fire headquarters – a plan approved by the Board of Estimate and Taxation at its budget decision meeting Thursday night.

“I believe there is a way to accomplish all the projects our community deserves while also maintaining the principles of our shared belief in conservative financial management,” Tesei said. “I hope that between us, we can show pragmatism and flexibility that our community demands.”

So at the end of the meeting that lasted one hour and 53 minutes, Board of Education and high school supporters high-fived and congratulated one another, and Greenwich Fire Department brass were happy that front-line firefighters would be able to move out of their dingy, health- and safety-risky facility on Havemeyer Place. Those two projects generated the most public comment and concern in a series of public hearings which culminated Tuesday night when hundreds filled the Town Hall, passionately voicing their support for their respective projects.

In the end, Greenwich’s fiscal board approved a total budget of $345,515,524 – which includes the town’s operating budget, the Board of Education and Capital Improvement Projects budgets. The proposed budget now will be scrutinized by the 230-member Representative Town Meeting which will, by town charter, vote on it at its May meeting. Once the RTM votes on the budget, the BET will set the town’s mill rate by the end of May. It is expected that the town’s current 8.596 mills per $1,000 of assessment will increase by 2.87 percent. The town’s assessment is based upon 70 percent of market value.

Eleven members of the BET methodically reviewed the budget and explained changes and riders on various spending requests to a decidedly quiet and small audience of less than 75. Supporters and opponents of various projects – primarily for the MISA project - who turned out en masse for the final public hearing on the budget Tuesday. That hearing lasted nearly 4 1/2-hour marathon featured 75 speakers – including students - who lobbied the BET.

The Music Instructional Space and Auditorium project for the high school was the most discussed topic by the BET, which allowed Tesei to be the sole person to address the board Thursday night.

Tesei told Greenwich Patch that he has been trying to devise a consensus on both the high school and fire department projects for the past week. But he was buoyed by the vocal public comment at the Tuesday public hearing. “There was a little perseverance, and cooperation on the part of Steve (Walko) and we were able to find a way to make people feel comfortable” with the altered spending plan.

Instead of financing the full $28.8 million for the MISA project, the BET approved a $17 allocation that will allow the project to move forward with building a new 1,325-seat auditorium in the 2011-2012 fiscal year. It is anticipated that the BET will approve additional money for the 2012-2013 budget to complete the project by building additional classroom, rehearsal and theater arts space.

Tesei’s trade-off involved allocating $1,225,000 for the design and construction of temporary quarters for the Central Fire Station staff and one engine in the Horeseneck Lane commuter parking lot, instead of nearly $21 million for the design and construction of a temporary firehouse and a new station.

Fire Chief Peter Siecienski said, “It’s progress to actually be able to move firefighters out of the Central Fire Station. He said that his top priority was getting front-line firefighters out of the Havemeyer Place facility built in the 1930s because of health hazards while maintaining short response times to downtown calls. The tower truck and crew currently housed in at Central will be transferred to the Cos Cob Fire Department.

Siecienski said that the department can accept the delay in building the new station by a year – to the 2013 fiscal year – because the required land-use approvals are not in place. “The Public Works Department is not in the position to go forward with land use and permits. … There’s no use in getting the money for the Central firehouse … it is best to get the project moving forward (with the temporary quarters) and we’ll have coverage for downtown … It’s best to smooth out the cash flow and keep the fire department moving forward with temporary facilities,” the fire chief said.

Meanwhile, Board of Education officials and GHS supporters were ecstatic that the MISA project will move forward.

“There have been a lot of discussions and Peter (Tesei) was able pull this together,” said Board of Education Chairman Steven Anderson. “It really shows that the Board of Ed, the BET, the First Selectmen, that everyone can work together. … There was creative thinking … He’s given a very finite plan and the fire department and the high school needs are being met. Now our job is to get the RTM to OK it,” he added.

Walko said the next step is “we have to explain the consequences to the RTM” concerning how the funding decisions were made. “These are the choices we are making now. I don’t see new sidewalks happening. I don’t see GEMS (Greenwich Emergency Medical Service) buying a building (for their headquarters) and I don’t see storm sewers happening.” It was a matter of choice based on conservative, prudent fiscal decisions and what projects had the most community impact, Walko said.

Those conservative decisions is what prompted the Tuesday night public outcry for the MISA project. During its deliberations earlier this month, the BET's budget committee had a party-split vote of 2-2 to recommend funding the MISA project. Based on that vote, the recommendation would have meant the full BET would have to vote on the proposal. With Tesei's compromise, it allowed BET members to cross party lines and support the plan which was adopted by a 11-0 vote. 

Schools Superintendent Dr. Sidney Freund said he was “absolutely thrilled” with the approval. “… and very pleasantly surprised. I think, as someone said in the meeting,  this is a lesson in civics, especially for the students, that a public voice can make a difference.”