By Gretchen Webster and John H. Palmer
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking story and will be updated as new details are gathered.
WESTPORT – Town officials hoping to take advantage of state funding to help offset almost a quarter of the estimated $98-million to build the new Long Lots Elementary School are facing an unforeseen change in a state deadline to secure the state grant.
A merger of state departments has changed the funding deadline from October to June 30, town officials confirmed Wednesday. As a result, the Long Lots Building Committee and other town boards tasked with approving the various aspects of the application find themselves under the gun to get the process finished four months sooner than was apparently originally expected.
“We would have to borrow money without the state funding,” said Finance Director Gary Conrad. Even if the state grant covered as little as 13 percent of the total cost, “we’d have to come up with $13 million dollars,” he said. “That would cost us – it would be a $13 to $14 million dollar cost to the taxpayers.”
If the town fails to meet the deadline to submit its grant request to the state before June 30, Conrad said, the grant funding would not be in the 2026-2027 state budget and the opening of the new school, which is scheduled to open in 2027, would be delayed again unless the town made up for the gap in state funding.
According to Conrad and Assistant Town Attorney Eileen Lavigne Flug, there was a “realignment” of state departments that control grant funding, resulting in the town being notified May 16 that the funding deadline had changed for the Long Lots School appropriation.
“We just recently got the information,” Flug told Westport Journal on Wednesday.
To make matters more complicated and rushed, a town charter regulation requires a two-week break period to allow for the opportunity to file for a public referendum.
That means that the Representative Town Meeting, which is the ultimate deciding town body on financial matters, must approve the project’s appropriation request by June 16 before it can be submitted to the state, Flug said.
First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker was out of town and unavailable for comment on this story.
Meanwhile, in an example of mixed communications surrounding the issue, Long Lots Building Committee Chairman Jay Keenan told members of two Representative Town Meeting committees Wednesday evening that the new funding deadline “has nothing to do with the state changing things.”
According to the charter of the Town of Westport, Flug said, for any appropriation over $500,000, the public has a right to ask for a referendum of the expenditure within 14 days of the RTM’s vote on the funding request. That means the RTM has to vote on it at least 14 days before June 30, which is the end of this fiscal year and the new deadline for the appropriation request as determined by the state funding bodies.
The remaining cost of the Long Lots school project is $93 million, with $6.8 million already appropriated for architectural drawings and initial planning, bringing the total cost of the project to $99.8 million, Conrad said. The town will be applying to the state for between 13 percent and 22 percent of the total amount. Other municipalities such as Bridgeport can get as much as 75 percent of the cost of building a new school from state grants, but because Westport is a wealthy town, the state funding will be less, Conrad said.
It is also possible that funding cuts at the federal level could endanger the town’s request for state funding for this project, he added. “The federal cuts could have an impact,” he said. “That’s another reason why we’d like to get this [grant appropriation request] in as soon as possible.”
Sudden flood of meetings adds to already packed calendar
The new, rushed deadline also means that town boards such as the Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Finance, Conservation Commission, and RTM committees must meet and ultimately sign off on the project application before the RTM votes on the appropriation request. At least 10 town meetings have been scheduled to review the school building plans before the RTM meets on June 12 to sign off on a funding appropriation request.
The RTM must approve the project plan including architectural and engineering plans, and cost estimates before then, Conrad said.
This after Tooker indicated May 14 that she was seeking a new, state mandated “8-24” land-use report on behalf of the Long Lots School Building Committee, because a relocated site for Westport Community Gardens on the Hyde Lane campus — provided in the 8-24 report approved for the project in January 2024 — has been dropped. The Planning and Zoning Commission will need to review and ultimately approve the new 8-24, which ostensibly must also be completed by June 16.
Anyone who pays attention to town matters may have noticed an increased number of town meetings with agenda items planned to discuss the Long Lots School project. The Architectural Review Board met Tuesday evening, where the project received unanimous approval. Upcoming meetings (which are subject to change) include the following:
- May 28, 7 p.m. (Zoom) – RTM joint meeting with finance, public protection, ordinance, environment and education committees
- June 3, 7:30 p.m. (Town Hall) – Full RTM meets for update on the project status
- June 4, 7 pm. (Zoom) – Joint public hearing of the Flood and Erosion Control Board and Conservation Commission
- June 5, 7:30 p.m. (Town Hall Auditorium) – Board of Finance meets to discuss $93 million appropriation request
- June 9, 6 p.m. (Electronic) – Planning and Zoning Commission, no agenda posted, potential discussion about new 8-24 report
- June 10, 5:30 p.m. (Town Hall Room 201) – RTM Education Committee, potential approval of appropriation request
- June 10, 7:30 p.m. (Town Hall Room 201) – RTM Finance Committee, potential approval of appropriation request
- June 11, 7:30 p.m. (Town Hall Auditorium) – Board of Finance public meeting, potential approval of appropriation request
- June 12, TBA – Entire RTM meets to discuss and vote on final appropriation request
Town boards are already flooded with work, as the Planning and Zoning Commission alone is currently in the final stages of discussing and making a decision about the controversial “Hamlet at Saugatuck” project. ROAN Ventures is seeking commission approval for the development, which could consist of a multi-use development of 11 buildings, including retail, hotel and residential buildings between the Saugatuck River, Charles Street, Franklin Street and Railroad Place. Some 14 off-site “below market” housing units would be contributed by the developer under the plan.
Commissioners are attempting to make a decision on the application by late June or July, which could be the largest development project the town has seen. Public outcry over the potential for increased traffic, parking problems, aesthetics, and pedestrian safety have caused developers to go back to the drawing board. At the most recent May 19 public hearing, five hours of public comments caused Chairman Paul Lebowitz to concede that a “Plan B” might be needed.
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Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman and has taught journalism at New York University and Southern Connecticut State University.
John Palmer, a Norwalk native, is editor of the Westport Journal, and has covered community news in Fairfield County and Massachusetts for over 30 years. He can be contacted at jpalmer@westportjournal.com.
That does put a huge time crunch on finding a spot for the gardens such as Burrs farms , and getting it approved at the same time. Otherwise the PZ might have to put on hold the 8-24.?
It would be nice to finally have a decision made and get gardeners back gardening in a sunny and level spot.
While I find it disgraceful that grants for schools are handed out based upon the wealth of the town, especially when that very wealth means we pay more per household in Westport in state taxes.
Theoretically we should get more in grants.
With the huge housing 8-30g bill just passed by the house, and thank you to the 18 democrats- most from Fairfield county who said NO.
Does the state pay to increase the size of our schools, so we can accommodate the children who will inevitably be part of the affordable housing package.
Because this just seems like another form of tax.
Another re distribution of wealth without a “thank you”.
Can we ensure that children or grandparents of westporters who qualify for low income are the recipients of affordable housing in our neighborhoods.
That would sure take some of the sting out.
Many of our college graduates are likely to qualify at least for a time.
Not to mention our older citizens who can no longer afford the property taxes and are retired.
Surely they qualify also.
Just a thought since this is getting rammed down our throats regardless.
But I’m not sure if we can “game” the system so to speak.
This is hilarious.
At last night’s RTM committees meetings, the LLSBC chair stated that the accelerated timing problem was just a “two-week”
glitch due to the fact that he was unaware the town charter requires a 14-day period for referendum when a $98M appropriations is approved (there ‘s an idea). It would be helpful for our elected representatives to know the charter they swear to uphold.
He further stated matter-of-factly the appropriation can be approved before any land use question is resolved (ie a site plan/special permit). Convenient. I was under the impression ALL project approvals were required before the state would consider the grant.
Another doosey: He assured the 40 people online at the meeting (mostly RTMers or school personnel) that every municipal body would get “two bounces,” “two bites at the apple” before being asked to approve…
… EXCEPT Flood and Erosion Control Board and the Conservation Commission, two hugely important reviews for this site that is flood-prone and has wetlands, difficult terrain, and many very closely adjoining neighbors. Not only will these boards get one and only one bite at the apple, they will have to do it simultaneously at a joint meeting on June 4. This will be their first look at the project. The LLSBC Chair assured me that town engineers have looked at the project thoroughly. Not good enough, and misses the point. These boards and commissions are an important check and balance — ESPECIALLY when there is NO PEER REVIEW of these troubling geotechnical issues at the 13 Hyde Lane site. Plus hundreds of geothermal wells to be dug. And soil contamination remediation, for which no true assessment or plan has been filed.
There is no traffic or parking study yet, even though the site plan is largely completed with expanded parking by 60 spaces for no documented reason other than to encroach onto Terrace 1. “It’s coming,” says the LLSBC.
This is a $98 million appropriation — the largest ever in Westport — and there is no peer review of the cost estimate.
If the town misses the state funding deadline (which seems to be very clearly spelled out on ct.gov), it will have to fund the full cost of the school until such time that reimbursement is applied for, approved and received. That means paying interest on a chunk of change for a year, not necessarily losing out on the reimbursement. Yes, it is a costly mistake made by the LLSBC and town; one that could cost a few million dollars in otherwise avoidable debt service interest. The LLSBC estimates they will get $15 million reimbursed.
There are so many flies in this ointment, it’s palpable.
Ms. Flug claims that the problem arose due to the merger of two state agencies. According to an article in the Greenwich Times from 2023, however, Greenwich got caught in the same trap—meaning that the June 30 deadline appears to have been in place at least as early as 2023. Is this a manufactured crises created under false pretenses or just further evidence of this administration’s incompetence?
It sounds as if this was another email from the State that the FS didn’t read.
Thanks Valerie. Interesting read:
https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/education/article/greenwich-school-projects-reimbursement-costs-18179093.php
That is something we are trying to figure out, but of course no one wants to talk about it. I am no town planner or accountant. But sound reasoning says that if you’re planning a major project over 3 years, then put deadlines on a calendar. That’s not rocket science.
Clearly, this plan is not yet ready for approval no matter the time frame and continuing to force it through the process will only result in a flawed result. The LLSBC for all of its arrogant behavior has apparently been asleep at the switch.
Key to what remains to be done is the 8-24 request which disregards relocation of the gardens. The P&Z should make it clear, as it has done in the past, that to receive a positive response, the 8-24 request must be accompanied by a plan to relocate the gardens to the Burr Fields site.
More in today’s lesson on the Town Charter:
Westport Town Charter Section 30-95 allows for an RTM review of Conservation Commission or Flood and Erosion Control Board decisions when the RTM is petitioned by 20+ citizens, or 2 RTMers.
The 14-day waiting period for large appropriations is also to allow for citizen referendums on the expenditures, Town Charter C5-9 Referendum on appropriations.
Interesting that multuple RTM members are not conversant in these important charter procedures.
Bring on the Townwide referendum and let the taxpayers decide on a cost as high as this.
The LLSBC gave updates to BOF and RTM Education committee back in April, and Jay mentioned that they will be coming back at the end of May/beginning of June for full funding. These meetings are recorded and available on the town’s website. There is no way that the letter of May 16 was the reason for changing the timeline since this was the plan. Also waiting till October to get the funding does not make sense since they would miss on school summer recess to start the work.
– Board of Finance: April 2
– RTM Education: April 29