By Arielle Levin Becker
Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
Copyright 2006 The Hartford Courant Company
All Rights Reserved
OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. — Residents Wednesday night approved plans to spend $250,000 of the town’s surplus on projects that include moving power lines to make sure firetrucks don’t get trapped in the fire station and a new communications system for emergency responders.
Spending the money left over from the past year’s budget headlined the town meeting agenda.
Voters also approved the acceptance of new handicapped-accessible voting machines and an agreement with the state for a mechanism that will allow firetrucks to alter traffic signals as they approach intersections.
The $250,000 in operating-budget savings was part of the $600,000 surplus the town posted at the end of the past fiscal year.
The rest of the money, earned through unanticipated revenues, will go toward the town’s so-called “rainy day fund.”
The most extensive discussion came on a proposal to allocate $55,000 of the surplus to move utility wires that hang in front of the firehouse across Main Street. The idea had been on town officials’ to-do lists for years, but it gained a new urgency last spring, when a storm knocked wires in front of the firehouse exits, blocking ambulances and firetrucks.
The project will move the cable, telephone and power lines that run in front of the old town hall and the Youth and Family Services building to the other side of the street.
Resident Susan Esty, who owns a store on Main Street, expressed concerns about how the wire relocation will be conducted, and how area businesses would be affected, particularly when electricity is shut off and during construction work that interferes with parking spaces or traffic on Main Street.
She asked that affected business owners be included in discussions with town officials and notified well in advance of construction projects.
Fire Marshal Donn Dobson said most of the work probably would be done late at night, minimizing the effect on businesses. First Selectman Michael Pace said business owners would be informed once plans are set for the work, which probably will take place next spring.
Residents also voted to put $75,000 of the surplus into a fund to pay for the next revaluation, $80,000 toward a new communications system for emergency responders, $20,000 for the gateway development project, and $20,000 for the Upper Cemetery, where officials hope to salvage the deteriorating wrought-iron fence.