New Capital Spending Fund Getting Closer to Completion, But Will Take Town-Meeting Approval

The Capital Non-Recurring Fund Committee continued consolidating its charge Thursday night, June 26, in a short, focused meeting that saw it solidifying its policy goals.

The CNRFC, which includes representatives from the Boards of Education, Finance and Selectmen, is creating a designated fund to address non-bondable items related to school and town facility upkeep.

“Our counsel recommends we just submit this to a Town Meeting,” said Board of Finance Chair Matt Raimondi, who is chairing the temporary short-term committee.

The Board of Selectmen recently announced that it would be holding a Special Town Meeting in the near future to have the public vote on a new lease between the town and Friends of Ambler Farm, as well as an ordinance change that would lengthen the wait time on the demolition of structures deemed historically significant.

First Selectman Toni Boucher told the CNRFC that a date for the meeting is yet to be set.

“That’s open,” she said. “It depends on the lease. As soon as we get the lease done, then we can schedule.”

Starting with the issue of approving the Ambler lease, disagreements have persisted over whether it was in the BOS’s purview or, per the Town Charter, approval was needed via Town Meeting vote. 

While Town Attorney Doug LoMonte had provided the BOS with the firm opinion that it was not necessary to take the Ambler lease decision to a town vote, he told the CNRFC in this instance it would be his recommendation that they get town approval to create this fund.

“The Town’s Charter and Ordinances are not as clear and unambiguous as any of us would like,” LoMonte wrote to Raimondi. “In other words, an argument could be made that the CNREF (Capital and Non-Recurring Expenditures Fund Policy) should be approved by a Town Meeting.”

“My reasoning is that that approach would avoid any unreasonable doubt or controversy as to whether or not a Town Meeting was required,” he wrote.

Raimondi and others agreed that, though the establishment of the fund could be done through approval of both the BOS and BOF, given a Town Meeting was going to be held on the two other items, it made sense to codify it through that vote.

With one last chance to incorporate any changes via email, the CNRFC plans to have LoMonte finalize its policy goals by next week following any last-minute tweaks from members.

The committee is drawing the legal power to create the fund from Connecticut general statutes, in particular Chapter 108 in the section on municipalities, which outlines municipal reserve funds and authorizes the legislative body of a town — in this case, the BOS — to create the fund by majority vote.

LoMonte, however, also recommended that the town have what Raimondi described as a “tag-along policy,” which would provide more details to what he described as a broad state statute.

“We’d be passing it as a package,” Raimondi said, and would include a general description of its use, funding and procedures.

“A very important part of this fund is that it’s non-lapsing,” Raimondi said. “It carries over every year so that we can build up capital and save money for the long term. That’s the whole goal.”

“It’s to fund projects that we don’t want to bring out to bonding,” he said, specifically one-time items that somehow relate to the extensive list of repair and maintenance needs facing the schools and town-owned facilities.

Raimondi emphasized that creation of this fund meant no additional cost to Wilton taxpayers, and said in the long run that it would serve to save the town money.

“The notion of what we’re setting up here is budget neutral,” he said. “It’s not going to increase people’s taxes (but) ultimately it’s to the benefit of Wilton’s taxpayers.”

CNRFC members had minimal adjustments to the document, which they’ve been reviewing for the past two weeks.

Clarifications were made to note that the operational oversight of the fund sits with the BOS, but as with all funding-related matters, the BOF also has approval of its use.

CNRFC members are also intending that projects approved through the fund must be started within two years of approval, and consist of one-time repairs or renovation items.

“I’ve always been a proponent of making this as flexible as possible,” said BOF member Tim Birch, thinking ahead to future elected officials and their choices.

At the same time, members are largely clear in their joint intention that this fund relates to the many facility-related repair items that came to light from two extensive assessments of the school and town buildings, which in total are expected to cost the town more than $220 million throughout the next decade and beyond.

Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker called the work on the new fund a really positive step for the town.

“I’m glad you guys are making so much progress,” he said.