Senior Center Eno Memorial Sub Committee Regular Meeting

DRAFT

SENIOR CENTER/ENO MEMORIAL SUB-COMMITTEE

REGULAR MEETING - 4:00 PM

FEBRUARY 27, 2014

1.  OPEN MEETING

Richard Ostop, Chair, called the Regular Meeting of the Senior Center/Eno Memorial Sub-Committee to order at 4:02 P.M. on Thursday, February 27, 2014 in the Court Room of Eno Memorial located at 754 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT.  The following members were also present:  Edna Schreindorfer, Pauline Henderson, Mona Martinik, Kathleen Marschall, Staff, Sarah Nielson, Main Street Partnership, Mary Lou Patrina, PBC, Francis Kelly, PBC, Donald Zaylor, Ed LaMontagne, Aging Commission, Jeff Shea, Simsbury Town Engineer, Richard Sawitzke, Engineer, Mike Paine, Board of Selectmen.  General Audience were Diane Nash, John Schaefer and other interested parties. 

2.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES – February 20, 2014

Mr. LaMontagne made a motion to approve the minutes for February 20, 2014 of the Regular Meeting of the Senior Center/Eno Memorial Subcommittee.  The motion was seconded by Mr. Paine and was unanimously approved.

3.  PUBLIC AUDIENCE

Mr. John Schaefer spoke regarding the Senior Center site selection process.  Mr. Schaefer stated that the town overwhelmingly agreed that Town policy should encourage future development to occur in the Simsbury Center zone and not in the town’s remaining green space.  He stated that any development that the town itself might undertake should follow that policy and that the town should build a new Senior Center in the Simsbury Center Zone.

Mr. Schaefer also stated that the residents of Simsbury have voted twice to preserve the Ethel Walker woods property as open space and to protect the aquifer underneath it.  He remarked that the town should not be destroying a part of that open space to build a new building, especially when there is a better choice.  Mr. Schaefer reminded the subcommittee that every study and survey that the town has done concerning the site for a new Senior Center has indicated that Eno Memorial Hall is the best location for the Senior Center.

Mr. Schaefer said that he could not understand why this committee would make a recommendation that goes against the facts that have come out of the studies.  Mr. Schaefer stated that the study was from an architect who was charged with looking at the various sites and that he did an analysis of the sites and needed to follow criteria.  The architect then weighed the criteria with a value for each and came up with a total for each property.  Mr. Schaefer stated that with the architect’s analysis, Eno Memorial was the best site for the Senior Center.

Ms. Diane Nash stated that the subject of a new Senior Center has been studied for almost 40 years and, after going through many years of notes, cannot figure out why it has taken this long.  She stated that she is frustrated over the many hours people have spent on this issue and that parameters are never clearly set.  Ms. Nash noted that there are issues of the aquifer, soil and the conditions under the Performing Arts Center which needs fill and footings because it is on the edge of the flood plain.  The property at Bushy Hill and Stratton Brook Road needs help because it is in the protected aquifer protection zone and will have certain restrictions to a building. 

Ms. Nash believes that Eno Memorial can be renovated but it will be costly.  She stated that the town residents have voted twice to keep the property at Bushy Hill and Stratton Brook Road preserved for the water supply.  Ms. Nash thinks the cost of a new Senior Center is justified but from an environmental standpoint, the cost cannot be justified. 

Ms. Nash asked that if committee members are voting for a new Senior Center, think of not what you want for a Senior Center but of what the needs are. 

Mr. Bud Kelly, who is a member of the Building Committee, stated that the new Senior Center has been played around with for over three years.  This included making trips to various locations to look at other Senior Centers to get ideas of what the seniors of Simsbury would like to do.  Mr. Kelly stated that it is at the point where a decision needs to be made.  He does agree that putting the new Senior Center on Bushy Hill Road and Stratton Brook but believes it should be in the village of Simsbury and would like to see it down at the Performing Arts Center area.  He does not think that it can be a retro-fit in Eno because it will never be what everyone really wants.

Mr. Don Zaylor stated that he is on the sub-committee and has also spent the last three years visiting sites for the new Senior Center.  His does not understand why the subcommittee is even evaluating this issue.  The town hired an architect for $50,000 and he interviewed every group of seniors that used the current Senior Center.  Mr. Zaylor noted that almost all the seniors stated that parking is a problem.  The subcommittee agreed that the Senior Center should have 200 parking spaces (starting off with 100).  There have been a couple of concepts with respect to Eno Memorial; however, none of them have come close to the 200 spaces. 

Mr. Zaylor reviewed the latest concept with 53 parking spaces with two being handicap spaces.  Eno Memorial currently has four handicap spaces and this would reduce it to two.  The Bushy Hill and Stratton Brook site has one concept that was developed that resolves the parking problem and the building is all on one floor versus Eno Memorial with three floors. 

Mr. Zaylor showed the aquifer plan which illustrates where the new Senior Center building would be built and stated that the report from the town engineer states “surface drainage does not flow toward the well fields and the site is served by public water and sewer”.  The report also stated that subsurface sewage disposal would not enter the site.  Mr. Zaylor stated that some committee members want the new Senior Center built downtown but where are you going to put it? 

Ms. Nash wanted to know why the parking deck would just be charged to the Senior Center when the town and local restaurants would use this parking facility also. 

Mr. Sawitzke stated that the town has looked into options with one being the parking deck that would go into the Senior Center and the other would be that it would not be included in the cost.  If a parking deck were to be built, Mr. Sawitzke believes that there would be some cost recovery.

Mr. Ostop questioned that if the parking deck were shared, how many parking spots would the Senior Center have during the day and what are those spots going to cost.  Also, if Station Street becomes a two-way street, then the businesses will lose their street parking and will need to use the parking deck.

Mr. Sawitzke noted that the estimation for Eno Memorial full program without a deck is $5.1 million for the building.  There are other costs associated with the building itself, but with the parking deck it would be $6.28 million.  He noted that some grants may be available to offset the cost.

4.  DISCUSSION OF SITES

Mr. Ostop reminded the subcommittee members that it was agreed at the last meeting to take a vote at this meeting on the four locations that have been discussed.  The Board of Selectmen had stated that the subcommittee needed to get an answer to them as soon as possible.  Mr. Ostop stated that he was told that Board of Selectmen do not need a decision at this time. 

Mr. Ostop stated that the subcommittee was considering mailing out a survey to the 2000 names on the mailing list of the Senior Center to try and get feedback from more than the group attending the meetings.  He said that the subcommittee has the time to do this now or the vote could be taken now at this meeting.

Mr. Kelly questioned The Hartford property as a possible location.  Mr. Ostop stated that the subcommittee was instructed to look at only town owned facility or property.  Mr. Paine stated that if the new Senior Center were to use private property like The Hartford building, it would come off the tax roll and it would have tax implications.

5.  POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION FOR SITE

Mr. Ostop asked the members again if they are ready to take a vote on the location for the Senior Center.  He stated that only the members of the committee can vote.  Mr. LaMontagne noted that there needs to be a majority of members of the subcommittee to vote, however, it cannot include town employees.

Mr. Ostop passed out eleven ballots to the subcommittee members who are allowed to vote. 

The results of the votes were:

• 4 - for New at Bushy Hill and Stratton Brook
• 1 - for Bushy Hill/Eno Memorial
• 1 - for New at Performing Arts Center
• 1 - for Decide on selection above after Social Services complete a survey of its full membership list
• 1 - for Renovate and Add to Eno Memorial with a phased-in program and with some facilities at the Performing Arts Center
• 3 - for New Facility (with no designation)

Mr. Paine thanked everyone and stated that he is embarrassed that it has taken four years to get to this point.

Mr. Sawitzke thanked the group and he also introduced Mr. Jeff Shea, the new Town Engineer, to the members

Ms. Martinik thanked Mr. Sawitzke for all he has done for the subcommittee. 

6.  ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Kelly made a motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting of the Senior Center/Eno Memorial Sub Committee at 4:40PM on February 27, 2014

Respectfully submitted,

____________________________________                        ______________________________

Richard Ostop, Chairman                                                       Leslie Brigham, Commissions Clerk