MADISON — Town officials are looking at holding a second referendum on the Academy School community center project after costs for the project skyrocketed far above the approved budget.
The most recent bids for the project estimated that the cost would be between $5.2 million and $7.6 million over the original budget of about $16 million.
The new costs have raised the ire of some town residents, who voiced their disagreement with the project at a Board of Selectman meeting on Tuesday.
“To be honest, this has become one of those things that I am so tired of,” said resident Andrea Mastoloni. “I really think this town needs to take a break. We have a beautiful, gorgeous town with a lot of buildings not being used.”
The decision to turn the Academy School into a community center was made after lengthy discussions about possible uses for the 1921 building, which ranged from a marketplace to affordable housing, according to First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons. After the town ended in a “consensus” on a community center and a design committee was created, residents approved the community center in a February 2022 referendum with a 55 percent vote.
But after the budget was approved, inflation caused construction costs to skyrocket, and the town discovered that the septic system needed to be replaced.
Lyons stressed during the meeting that the town had received $4 million from Connecticut’s Urban Act grant and a $3.625 million grant from the federal government that would offset the budget overage. As a result, she said, there would be no big impact on taxpayers.
Residents were unconvinced.
Resident Janet Nicolini said that the grants were intended to reduce the total amount to be paid, not to offset the burden on taxpayers.
“That might be a lot more palatable and that’s how it was presented to us in the referendum,” Nicolini said. “The spin that the taxpayers really aren’t paying more is not true, and I hope that you don’t present it that way.”
She also questioned the project scope. She said that the theater was not recommended by the design team, even though it was included in the plan.
The original design plan included a gymnasium, commercial kitchen, theater and office spaces to house the Town Youth and Family Services and Beach and Recreation. The project also includes municipal office space in the building.
Lyons said that the scope of the project has not changed.
“There has not been a mission creep. There’s not been all this extra space for other activities,” Lyons said. “There’s not some grandiose theater in it. What went out to bid what was pretty much voted on in a referendum.”
Divided opinions
Democratic selectman Scott Murphy noted that Madison was the only one of its surrounding towns that did not have a community center. But some residents questioned whether such a center was necessary.
Resident Teresa McDonald said the town Senior Center serves the same function that a community center would.
“You say that a lot of towns have community centers. Well, Guilford’s community center is one, yes, but Guilford does not have a senior center. We have a very good senior center that is not probably used to the capacity that it could be used,” McDonald said. “It has a commercial kitchen. It’s a state-of-the-art building. It just had a brand new floor and wall in the dining room.”
Nicolini pointed out that since the referendum, the town’s services have been expanded, for example in libraries and the senior center. For this reason, she considered it appropriate to call a new referendum.
“You owe it to the public of Madison to now say to us, here are the real costs, and here are all the facilities we have in town. Do you still want this thing?” Nicolini said. “Really consider that option.”
Lyons said one of the purposes of the project was to preserve a “treasured landmark” in Madison’s downtown, but she also considered it reflected a vision of the community as they emerged from the isolation of COVID-19.
“It is bringing people together — whether it’s just to do pottery, to play basketball, to have kids play pool or to sit there and have a dance class. It’s a hangout space for the town of Madison,” Lyons said. “We voted on this coming out of COVID, and I think people then it was fresh in their minds how awful it was not to be together and not to hang out together and not to socialize together and that’s why this passed, and we’ve just got to remember that because it’s needed more than ever today.”
William Stableford, chair of the community center design committee defended the project. He said that they had conducted a survey and that this had identified interests in the arts and entertainment, and that the gym and theater were revenue generators.
Rosalyn Cama, who served on the project’s design committee, recalled that the referendum’s slogan was “Live well Madison” and said it sought to respond to the social need. She also noted the significance of 2026.
“The opening would coincide with our town’s 200th anniversary,” Cama said. “So there’s sort of some nice fanfare that would come along with us.”
Another public vote
The selectmen considered several options, including hosting a second referendum, reducing the scope of the project to meet the original budget, and abandoning the project altogether.
Town attorney Matt Ritter with Shipman and Goodwin explained during the meeting that the referendum could not be overturned at a town meeting and that a cancellation of the project could legally expose the town, especially given the bonding already issued. He said he believed that a “consistent” solution would be to re-consult voters.
Bruce Wilson, a Republican selectman, said he had not initially voted for the project but understood that his role was to deliver the “community vision.” He said that only the budget extension would allow this, and suggested that the vote be held in May.
“Every single option in front of us involves a public vote. We’re talking about what’s the most transparent way to have that vote,” Wilson said. “I really like the budget referendum. It’s a natural voting point for residents.”
Wilson also said that cutting the scope and funding the other initiatives with money from the town’s annual budget would be the most painful solution for taxpayers, because it would not allow payments to be spread out over the cost over 20 years as bonding does.
Jennifer Gordon, a Republican selectwoman, agreed with Wilson and said that even a rebid process could result in better prices if the proposal was adjusted after discussion with the building committee.
All five members of the board expressed support for a referendum on May 6, the same day the town budget would be voted on. Selectmen expect to vote on the issue at a later meeting.
Lyons said that next week the selectmen would meet with the Academy Community Center Building Committee, which is leading the project.
“We all might have different visions of our town, but we care about where we live, and we’re all friends and neighbors,” Lyons said. “Let’s just try to remember that. This is going to be an ongoing conversation over the next couple of months.”