Committee recommends $2.6M in one-time Pequot and Mohegan funds for culvert repairs and a new animal control facility

On June 1 the finance committee recommended that the town council use one-time supplemental Pequot and Mohegan funds to pay for immediate infrastructure needs: culvert rehabilitation and a replacement animal control facility.

Finance staff proposed allocating $1.5 million to repair four culverts identified by public works; staff said those repairs can proceed this summer if the funds are made available. "If they're given the money now, they'll be able to do them this summer," Amanda said. Public-works staff also told the committee one culvert would be handled in-house and three larger culverts would be outsourced to expedite work.

On the animal control facility, Amanda said the existing shelter will not meet statutory requirements that take effect in 2029 and must be replaced. The committee heard a preliminary design and was told the full project is estimated at roughly $2.5 million; staff proposed taking $1,113,732 from the supplemental funds now and covering the remaining balance with year-end transfers in September. "By paying for it now with one-time monies, we're going to save the taxpayers money in the long run by not needing to pay the interest on the bond," Amanda said.

Committee members moved and voted to recommend both appropriations to the full council. Members asked that facilities and public-works staff — and, for the animal shelter, the shelter director — be present at the council meeting to answer technical and programmatic questions.

Votes at a glance: the committee recommended approval of the quarterly financial statement, the CIP adjustments, the transfer of $81,191.71 to the property tax suspense book, and the two supplemental appropriations for culverts and the animal control facility; all recommendations passed the committee by voice/hand vote (exact tallies were not recorded in the transcript).