For the seventh time, the South Windsor Town Council voted to extend the reverter clause on the 20 acres of land that the town provided the CT Studios developer.
At a special meeting on Monday, the council voted 8-0 to extend the clause once more, this time until Dec. 3.
The council had moved to lift the reverter clause earlier this month provided that the developer meet six conditions. Town Manager Matthew Galligan said that the town attorney requested the latest extension because the language in the resolution that would lift the reverter was vague on the matter.
CT Studios consultant Craig Stevenson said that the closing on a $7 million bridge loan - one of the conditions on removing the reverter - was delayed as a lender wanted updates on commitment letters.
But both Stevenson and Galligan said that the updates were being made and that other facets of the project - such as the fuel cell component - were moving ahead.
While the council unanimously extended the clause, several members did so reluctantly.
Councilor Kevin McCann said that he voted against the measure that would lift the reverter clause if the six conditions were met, because it was the only leverage the town had to get the project completed.
McCann said that he "would not buck the decision of the Town Council."
McCann subsequently amended the motion to extend the clause from Oct. 31 to Dec. 3.
Councilor Cindy Beaulieu said that she was "frustrated" that the council was voting on extending the reverter clause again.
"It continues to floor me that we sit here time and time again ... and we keep giving extensions," she said.
Beaulieu said that the town was the only party to the deal "with skin in the game" - the 20 acres of land committed to the project - while everyone else including the developer hadn't committed anything themselves.
Politics were also injected into the debate.
Town Councilor Cary Prague - a Republican - alluded to a sign that Democrats posted stating that Republicans - namely McCann, Beaulieu and Deputy Mayor Gary Bazzano - had voted against creating jobs by voting against lifting the reverter clause.
Prague, who voted for the measure, said that the sign was inaccurate and should be taken down.
Beaulieu and McCann addressed the matter, stating that they voted against the measure to protect the town by keeping the reverter clause in place.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
