Voters Face Two Referendum Questions On Upcoming Ballot
- Philip Thibodeau
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
When voters fill out their ballots during the voting period that runs from now until Election Day, November 4, they will be asked to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on two referendum questions.
The town of Southington is required to hold a referendum any time it intends to issue more than $1 million in bonds for a given project. This year there are two such projects: roof replacements for three elementary schools, and the potential purchase of land for open space purposes.
School Roof Replacements
The first referendum question reads: “Shall the Town of Southington appropriate $6,617,400 for costs related to repairs and replacements of roofs at Hatton Elementary School, William Strong Elementary School and Reuben E. Thalberg Elementary School and authorize the issue of $6,617,400 bonds and notes to finance the appropriation?”
According to Superintendent Steve Madancy, the roofs on all three elementary schools are now well past their 20-year expected lifetime. Deterioration has led to issues with leaks and water infiltration, particularly during periods of gusty rain. Leaks can do serious damage to the interior before they are detected, “just as they would in someone’s home,” Madancy says.
The leaks can be patched, but the patches are temporary – and expensive. In 2021 there were 10 leaks at the three schools combined; in 2022, 21 leaks; in 2023, 39 leaks, and in 2024, 26 leaks. Every leak requires a visit from a roof vendor that can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,500.
The town will be able to apply to the state of Connecticut for reimbursement of a large share – around 55 percent, by Madancy’s estimate – of the cost for the roof replacements. The one catch is that the town must approve the spending of the funds before the state will consider its application for reimbursement. Assuming the State gives its approval, the town’s contribution would end up being around $3 million.
The new roofs will be made from a modern synthetic material that carries a 30-year warranty. If the measure passes, Madancy expects work on the roof replacement to be finished by the end of summer 2026.
Open Space Purchases
The second question reads, “Shall the Town of Southington appropriate $2,000,000 for acquisition of land for open space purposes, and authorize the issue of bonds and notes in the same amount to finance said appropriation?”
The language of this question might seem to suggest that the Town of Southington has a specific open-space parcel that it wishes to acquire. But according to Town Manager Alex Ricciardone and other officials contacted by the Outsider, the town is not currently targeting any parcel for purchase. Instead, this is a pre-authorization, one designed to give the town the funds it needs to purchase land should the opportunity arise.
The town already has a rainy-day fund of cash which it could use to purchase land that becomes available. However a situation could arise where a large parcel suddenly comes on the market whose cost exceeds the amount of cash the Town has on hand. In that case it would draw on bond funding – in effect, a loan from bond investors – to make up the difference. That would allow it to make a competitive bid and prevent, say, a developer from building on land that the Town had wanted for a greenway.
According to David Lavallee, the Acting Director of Planning and Community Development, the purchase of land for open space purposes would require a thorough review, with sign-offs needed from the Open Space Committee, Planning and Zoning, the Board of Finance, and the Town Council, while the Town Attorney managed negotiations.
Thanks to Southington's high bond rating – AA+, just one step below the highest rating possible – it is able to borrow with a relatively low interest rate of between 3.5 and 4.5 percent, depending on the term of the bond note.
