Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2009
May 14, 2009

By Donald Eng

Town officials have indefinitely postponed plans to construct a free-standing pool building as part of the Trumbull High renovation after receiving word that the state would not issue any reimbursement funds.

In a letter dated May 14, Chief of School Facilities David Wedge informed School Supt. Ralph Iassogna, the school board and town administration that the pool was not eligible for reimbursement because "this pool will be used for non-school use during normal school hours."

Town officials had budgeted $5 million for the new pool, and had planned on state reimbursement at 15.35%, half of the normal 30.71% rate for "as new" renovation projects. Thus, the state's decision would have meant the town shouldering an additional $767,000. First Selectman Ray Baldwin called such an additional expense a "death knell" for the project.

"What's frustrating is that the state has been involved in this project from the beginning, and we thought the reason for the lower reimbursement rate was because the pool would be for community use, too," he said.

Business Manager Al Barbarotta said it was particularly galling that the state's reason for the decision was the use of the pool during school hours by community groups.

"If we built this pool, and it sat empty from 8 to 3, the state wouldn't have had a problem," he said. "But because we're letting toddler groups do splash & play classes and senior groups do physical rehab they pull funding."

Barbotta also said the state's decision on funding could possibly put the option of renovating Hillcrest's pool back on the table.

"The next step is to do a good cost analysis of what needs to be done at Hillcrest and what it would cost to see if it was feasible," he said. "The problem is Hillcrest still has the original problems of security, parking, indoor air quality and handicap access."

Baldwin said the town has several options.

"We could go ahead and build it without state reimbursement, which is not feasible given the current economic climate, or lobby the legislature to change the language in the statutes to allow for community use at a school facility," he said.

TrumbullGOP Note: Republican Town Council members recently introduced a resolution to eliminate the pool and save taxpayer dollars.