Town considers how to spend $3.5M from feds

NEW CANAAN — Selectman Nick Williams called it “Christmas in September” on Tuesday as he reviewed several ways the town could spend $3.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The town has already received $2.8 million and expects almost $3 million more by June 2022 from ARPA, which is a federal program providing $350 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments.

First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said his list was the result of reaching out to department heads, the Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism & Economic Development Advisory, the New Canaan Community Foundation and residents.

The town held a forum in July for people to recommend how the money should be spent. “We seemed to have gone the extra mile” in “reaching out to the community,” Administrative Officer Tucker Murphy said.

The selectmen voted unanimously to move the list forward to the Board of Finance and Town Council in hopes of getting appropriations by October or November.

The federal funds should be used to “rebound from COVID, both as a municipal government and as residents who were affected by COVID,” Moynihan said Tuesday.

The first selectman wants $750,000 of this money for renovating and reopening the Playhouse, since it could be the “biggest” economic development boon to the town.

The town has been working on improving the Playhouse for six months, with $850,000 from the Playhouse Fund. But, “that is not enough to do all repairs,” since the building needs to be brought up to American Disability Act compliance and other repairs are needed to “put it in operation,” Moynihan said.

The new ice skating rink could use $100,000, Moynihan argued. The 120-foot by 60-foot rink is planned for the parking area near the bathrooms at Waveny Park, with hopes it will open by early December.

Currently, the ice skating rink equipment sits in a trailer next to its chiller in Waveny Park, behind the Carriage Barn.

The Community Foundation could see a total $1 million if things go Moynihan’s way.

“Clearly a lot of nonprofits in town were impacted by COVID,” Moynihan said. Some organizations with employees were able to get money from the Paycheck Protection Plan, but others were not eligible.

Many of the organizations were unable to have annual fundraisers and their efforts were generally impeded, Moynihan said. He reasoned that the foundation “has a terrific annual grant process” in which volunteers review grant applications, therefore it is “in the best position to evaluate COVID needs.”

To meet the demand for infant day care in town, the town may give the New Canaan YMCA $250,000 to expand its facilities to accommodate more infants. The YMCA is the only operation in town that offers infant care, according to the first selectman.

Silverhill Hospital would get $250,000 of the ARPA money so “residents of any age who have emotional behavioral health issues” would be able to get “immediate evaluation and then find the appropriate services,” Moynihan said.

People who need care immediately could get help it “regardless of insurance.” Silverhill Hospital is the appropriate choice since it “is in the business for providing care, as well as evaluation services,” Moynihan explained.

Another $250,000 would go to Waveny LiveCare Network to boost its telehealth and telemedicine services. It has been pursuing these improvements as a result of its merger with Visiting Nurse Association of Fairfield County.

Additionally, Moynihan believes the town should spend $125,000 to install a flexi-path walkway around the Mead Memorial Park pond. The park has been receiving more attention since people have been moving into the Vue New Canaan apartment development, he argued.

“Mead Park is very well used,” he said. The project is estimated to cost close to $250,000, but the town would “allocate half of that to incentivize neighbors and other people who want to contribute to the enhancement of Mead Park.”

A recommendation was given to allocate $250,000 to the Waveny Park Conservancy. “We thought we ought to begin to have some money to match their projects,” Moynihan said.

Open space may receive $500,000 of the ARPA funds because it would “enhance” the town and the first selectman believes it is an area that the town “hasn’t really funded.”

If Moynihan’s proposal is put into action, NCTV would be getting $40,000 to bring broadcasting of public meetings “up to optimal level.”