July 29, 2008
Eagle Tribune
WINDHAM — Local property owners can expect to pay between 6 and 8 cents more per $1,000 of valuation per year over the life of a 10-year bond to pay for a proposed secondary access road at the new high school.
During a public hearing last night, speakers said selectmen needed to provide more details if they expect voters to approve a $1.25 million bond to pay for it.
Selectmen promised to provide this information before the Aug. 12 deliberative session on the bond article, and the subsequent Sept. 9 Special Town Meeting vote on it.
The board said it will provide, in advance, the cost breakdown and project specifications for the almost 4,000-foot-long and 24-foot-wide paved road, dispensing the information at a roundtable discussion and through postings on the town Web site.
This information will be made available after the project engineer receives bids on the work, expected within two weeks, board Chairman Dennis Senibaldi said.
Meanwhile, Town Administrator Dave Sullivan presented the payment schedule on the bond for the $1.25 million proposal. The schedule is based on the current 4 percent interest rate.
He said the first year’s payment, starting in 2009, would be about $175,000, falling to about $130,000 in the final years of the bond.
Individual property owners would pay 8 cents per $1,000 of valuation in the first few years, then 7 cents in the middle five or six years before ending at 6 cents in the last years, he said.
On a $400,000 home that would range between $24 and $32 more per year over the 10 years.
Resident Jack Hamburger said the perception in public is that this access road is a selectmen’s proposal and does not represent the public’s wishes.
Senibaldi countered that the board was acting in response to an existing public petition for the road. That petition was held in abeyance while voters cast ballots on a similar proposal in March.
That proposal was also brought forward as a citizen’s petition, only on the school district ballot. It was spearheaded by Charles McMahon, who was not a selectman at that time but now is a member of the board.
In March, school district voters defeated the proposal, 1,270 to 1,234. The bond article needed 60 percent majority approval to pass. So will the September question.
Regarding the current proposal, selectmen have declared a need for the road — to provide a secondary means of access to the school for fire and police in case of an emergency.
The fire chief is adamant about the need for the road prior to the school’s opening. He said he is open to discussing the type of road, whether paved or unpaved, but there must be a secondary access.
Speaker Betty Dunn said she has yet to decide if she supports it, and she needs more information.
Senibaldi suggested that the board hold a roundtable discussion on the project before the deliberative session.
All the board members agreed to the roundtable, which will be scheduled after they gather bid information on the project.
Board member Galen Stearns agreed to the roundtable so long as there would be debate there, not just a presentation.
Senibaldi said debate will be part of the meeting.