First selectmen candidates debate police and library services

Brookfield CT

13 October, 2021

9:17 AM

Description

By Scott Benjamin BROOKFIELD – During a debate, the three candidates for first selectmen discussed which should be the top priority – an expanded or new police headquarters versus a new library – and what steps have and should be taken to support emergency personnel. There have been proposals to build a new library since at least 1999, when then-library director Robert Gallucci said the current facility on Whisconier Road – which opened in 1975 – didn't have enough space. Over recent years, municipal officials have commented on the need for expanding the police headquarters on Silvermine Road – which opened in 1988 – since, among other things, there is not adequate space for all personnel to make clothing changes. Republican candidate Tara Carr said that "first and foremost" the town needs to address the police headquarters, which is in "disrepair." She said that there aren't enough meeting rooms and it needs a technology upgrade. For decades, Brookfield has had a larger number of auto accident responses than suburban municipalities of similar size, since there is a large volume of traffic along the southern corridor of Federal Road, which features Costco, B.J.'s Wholesale and some furniture stores. Carr added, "It's not that we don't need a new library, we do." Democratic First Selectman Steve Dunn, who is seeking a fourth term, said he supports upgrading the current facility or possibly building a new one. However, with the town currently building the $78.1 million Candlewood Lake Elementary School, the town wouldn't be able to maintain its AAA bond rating from Standard & Poor's if it took on additional debt. Dunn, a former vice president with J.P. Morgan Chase, said that during his administration the town has funded several projects for emergency personnel - including a new fire truck, a new fire boat and ambulance, as well as paying for a temporary shed to house SCUBA equipment used by emergency personnel. "We have done more than any administration before us has," he said during the forum, which was sponsored by the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce. Petitioning candidate Austin Monteiro, a commercial real estate agent and fitness trainer, said at the event, which was held in room 133 of the Municipal Center, that crime has increased 24 percent since Dunn took office in December 2015. He said that his car was stolen from the driveway of his home in late August and that Brookfield should form a task force with neighboring municipalities to address that issue. He also said the town should provide mental stress training for its police and fire personnel, noting that Danbury has such a program. Carr asked Dunn during the forum if he supported defunding the police. Dunn responded, "I don't believe in defunding the police, at all." At a separate juncture, he said his administration has negotiated "very fair" contracts with the municipal police officers' union. Moneteiro said, "I don't think that Steve believes in defunding the police, whatsoever." Monteiro also said he doesn't see "a pressing need" for a new library. However, ad-hoc committees have discussed the need for a new facility dating to the mid-2000s. Library officials held several focus group meetings in the summer 2017 and presented a proposal for a $14.77 million building to be constructed on the municipal campus on Pocono Road. That package was defeated at referendum in early 2018 by a nearly 2-1 ratio. Carr, a retired U.S. Army officer, criticized Dunn for supporting that project, saying that it showed "he didn't have a finger" on the pulse of the residents. Dunn said the proposal was rejected, at least in part, because residents were concerned about costs associated with the Candlewood Lake Elementary School proposal, which was approved at referendum a year later. Some observers have noted that the library officials wanted to get a proposal to voters since a $1 million state grant offer was about to expire. With referendum approval for the Candlewood Lake Elementary School the selectmen appointed an ad-hoc committee in 2019 to study uses for Center Elementary School, located on Route 133, which will become vacant when the new school opens, likely in August 2022. The report indicated that a new library and a small number of Parks & Recreation activities could be housed in Center Elementary School. Dunn has told Brookfield Patch that the selectmen will likely wait until 2022 to have a designer make plans for that building. He indicated that by then municipal officials would have more information on the final costs for Candlewood Lake School. He has noted that by getting a low interest rate on the debt thus far, the town may pay less money than anticipated on the new structure, which will have students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.