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Residents urge Newington to continue pool‑committee work as funding windows loom
Summary
Multiple residents and some councilors urged the council to keep the pool committee working to finalize design recommendations and preserve eligibility for state grant opportunities rather than pausing work while funds are constrained.
Several residents told the Town Council on June 23 that the town should not halt the pool committee’s work, arguing continuing the committee’s planning would preserve opportunities for grants and leave the town ready for a future referendum.
Dana Havens, Rose Lions and others said the committee has completed engineering inspections and conceptual designs and can finish planning with little or no cost. "By continuing this progress now, we can ensure that when the town council determines the time is right to move forward with the referendum, the necessary groundwork has already been completed," one speaker said.
Councilors described recent committee activity: inspections at both pool locations, mock concept designs, decisions to keep pools in existing shells and draft language for a future RFP. Councilor AJ (committee lead) said the primary impediment to moving to an RFP is funding; the committee removed money from a prior budget because townwide fiscal pressures required cuts this year.
Speakers warned the town lost a prior state $5 million opportunity because an earlier committee had not finalized plans. Advocates urged the council to keep at least one committee seat open for community members and to resume design work so the town can be ready when funding returns.
No formal council action to reopen or disband the committee was recorded at the meeting; councilors agreed to continue discussion and recruit volunteers for a vacancy.
