Fields Project Approved Contingent on Funding

The $900,000 Nevers Park Athletic Fields proposal was approved by the Town Council Tuesday night with a 6-3 vote.

The approval came though nearly every speaker at the meeting voice opposition to the project, including seniors, neighbors and South Windsor athletes. Councilors Ed Havens, Dr. Saud Anwar and Mayor Tom Delnicki opposed it.

The catchword of the day was compromise. Advocates, including Republican councilors, said that an original version of the project, which went through 18 months of study by the athletic field subcommittee and 13 iterations, was desperately needed by the town but that in response to public demand, was scaled down - from a cost of $2.4 million to about $46,000 per year for 10 years. That cost, for an artificial turf field, two grass practice fields, a gravel parking lot, a Miracle field and a cricket pitch, would not be allowed to raise taxes.

Objections

Voting against it, Councilor Ed Havens said that the compromise was irrelevant.

“If [the public] didn’t want four fields, what makes you think they want one?” he said.

Dr. Saud Anwar agreed, saying that he had four objections to the proposal: the location, the process, the funding and the timing.

While protests from neighbors of South Windsor High School halted discussions of putting a lighted turf field there, the objections of Wyndemere Court residents who will have to live with the fields surrounding their homes had been ignored, he said. 

In addition, since the town manager repeatedly told them just a few months ago that the budget was ‘bare bones,’ Anwar said there would either be no way to cut $47,000 from it annually or the town manager must have given the council wrong information.

Anwar objected to the process of approving the fields, saying that it violated “the essence of the charter” by “bypassing the public” and not putting the project to referendum.

“Right now we are also looking at an important referendum expected in March,” he said. “This is the time we need to put our resources together and make the right choice… to stop spending money and … make sure we can make good quality schools for the next generation.”

Public Comment

Though the council formally voted against having a second public hearing on the revised fields proposal, the council chambers were packed Tuesday night and the mayor allowed anyone who wanted to speak for 5 minutes.

All but a handful of speakers opposed the project, including several South Windsor High School athletes, who said that they really wanted to see a turf field at the high school.

"We want turf fields, however we want a turf field in the stadium of the high school… where varsity games could be played," said sophomore Bridge Kelly, noting that the high school already had handicapped parking spots, locker rooms, a trainer, a concession stand and a place to evacuate in case of severe weather.

Jill Kaczmarek also a sophomore, said that the students take pride in wearing South Windsor on their jerseys but are embarrassed by their fields, which other teams complain about and have caused injuries. 

Just a few spoke in favor of the proposal but Mike Mundo urged the council to remember that hundreds - including many young athletes - attended the public hearing a few weeks ago in favor of the project.

Political fallout and referendum by election

A few councilors said that the polarizing issue would be central for the November election, possibly costing supporters their seat. Cindy Beaulieu said it already had.

"If you stand up for something you believe in... you end up not being able to continue in your seat," Beaulieu said, referring to Deputy Mayor Gary Bazzano who lost in the Republican primary. "We have lost an extremely good councilor all because the fields proposal has done nothing but divide this town."

Bazzano said that the election serves in place of referenda. 

"That's the referendum – who you want in here to do your business. We’re the ones up here volunteering our time almost every week," Bazzano said. "You decide on election day which ones you want up here doing your business… don’t hold it against anybody because they vote for a project you're not in favor of. You vote for someone because you think they’ll do a good job overall, not over one thing."

Going forward

Councilor Keith Yagaloff, who sat on the fields subcommittee and drafted the smaller proposal, underlined that the project would not go forward unless the town secured a state STEAP grant and only on the condition that the project not raise taxes. 

See the full resolution here.