High school building plan vote slated for November

Council edits ‘explanatory text’ for Election Day ballot

TORRINGTON — The question voters have to answer will be whether the city should borrow and then appropriate $159.6 million for construction of a new school and a central administrative office, and demolish Torrington High School.

But how that question is framed is of crucial importance, according to Mayor Elinor Carbone.

The way the project will be described to voters has been a concern, mainly because the description must be factual and not leaning in a positive or negative direction, Carbone said.

So City Council members reviewed the “explanatory text” for the upcoming referendum on the schools building project, which will be on the ballot in November’s election.

Residents will be asked on the Nov. 3 ballot to approve the funding to build a

new middle/high school and central administrative offices for $159.6 million.

According to state statutes, the City Council is the only authority that can establish explanatory text supporting information for referendum questions, Carbone said.

“It is the responsibility of the City Clerk to prepare the text. The text must be factual and cannot appear to advocate for or against the project,” she said.

“City Clerk Carol Anderson drafted the text and reached out to the (State Elections Enforcement Commission), for guidance on the document,” the mayor said. “The Explanatory Text document will be published on the city website, prepared in poster format and posted at each polling location and mailed with absentee ballots prior to the November election.”

The ballot question reads: “Shall the City of Torrington appropriate $159,575,000 for the construction of a new high school, a new middle school, a new central administrative office, and for the demolition of the existing Torrington High School, and authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and notes in the same amount to finance said appropriation?”

Below the ballot question is the explanatory text, which includes the estimated cost of the project, including the city’s net share.

It outlines that for new construction, with a total estimated cost of $159.573 million and reimbursement from the state at an anticipated 62 percent, the city’s net share would be $74.624 million.

If the city were to renovate the existing 58-year-old high school, the estimated cost would be $112.2 million; after state reimbursement at an anticipated 72.5 percent, the city’s net share would be $78.3 million.

The City Clerk’s Office, Carbone said, used the cost information as provided by the Board of Education and in its grant application to the state.

The explanatory text also discusses the buildings and explains their shortcomings. One version also includes an estimated tax rate impact, so voters can see how the project likely would affect their property taxes.

“The existing Torrington High School building is fifty-eight years old and much of its infrastructure will need to be repaired or replaced over the next five years,” the description says. “The windows, doors, flooring and suspended ceilings are in poor condition; mechanical, electrical, fire protection and plumbing systems are at the end of their useful life; security systems are outdated; code and accessibility upgrades are required; roofs need to be repaired or replaced and maintenance and repairs are needed to prevent future damage to the building structure.

“The proposed Torrington Middle/ High School is a new school that will be located on the same site as the current high school building. It will serve students in grades 7-12. The new construction plan features separate academic wings and separate entrances for high school and middle school students. The plan also features a shared auditorium and performance stage and includes the construction of a new Central Office which will be located on campus,” the description continues.

During the meeting this week, Carbone explained why the project description presented to the public is so important.

“This is a document that will be posted,” she said. “It will be printed on posters, and available at every polling place. Essentially, it’s an explanation; it’s more than just a question for the voters.

“It’s imperative that this document not advocate for or against the project,” the mayor said. “It’s important to be careful how it’s worded.”

As he has done during past discussions, Council member Paul Cavagnero said Torrington should hold off on any school construction project for another year, citing the need to evaluate distance learning and its impact on education costs in the district.

“What we’ll learn from remote learning can have an impactful reduction in costs,” he said. “Let’s put off the building for a year and figure out what we want to do . ... We’re missing an opportunity to do something special.

“For all those reasons ... we should postponed this decision for a year, and make a well-thought-out decision in the world of hybrid curriculum and hybrid learning,” Cavagnero said.

Carbone, however, said the city was at a point where it was going forward.

“We’re here at this point, and we need to be as transparent as we can, to help the voters make an informed decision,” she said.