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Newington council authorizes draft bond language for Mil Pond pool referendum after debate; motion passes 6–3
Summary
The council voted 6–3 to direct the finance director and acting town manager to draft bond language for a referendum on the Mil Pond pool renovation project (with a possible Churchill Park splash pad). The vote followed public comments demanding clearer costs and more transparency.
The Newington Town Council on July 30 authorized staff to draft bond language that would be used in a referendum for the Mil Pond pool renovation project, after extended public comment and a split council vote.
Councilor Paige moved the resolution, seconded by Councilor Floy, directing Finance Director Janet Murphy and Acting Town Manager Jamie Trevian to prepare draft bond language regarding the proposal put forward by the Town Pools Project Building Committee. Council members debated both procedural and substantive points: some councilors pressed for a clear, limited scope that matches the committee’s proposal; others said a public hearing and additional financial detail should come before further steps.
Acting Town Manager Jamie Trevian described the action as a procedural step: "This item is to ... authorize the staff to work with the bond council to create the language. The language still comes back to the council for discussion," she said, adding that the language and scope would be available for public review and that the council could recommend changes before any referendum.
Several residents argued the committee had not sufficiently addressed the state of Churchill Pool or provided a full cost breakdown. Dana Havens asked for line-item detail (poolhouse fixtures, staging, parking impacts) and warned that rushing a ballot question could produce a failed referendum; Rose Lions warned of lessons from previous town projects that changed scope and cost. Eileen Frankino, speaking by Zoom, urged placing the question on the November presidential ballot to maximize turnout.
During council debate, some members proposed technical edits to make clear which committee presented the plan and whether the referendum covered only Mil Pond or additional improvements (for example, a splash pad at Churchill Park). The council adopted amended language specifying the proposal as the one "proposed by the Town Pools Project Building Committee." A roll-call vote showed the resolution passed 6–3.
Councilors and staff committed to providing detailed financial information before any substantive vote or referendum scheduling. Janet Murphy, the finance director, was named in the resolution as responsible for preparing bond-related language and cost details; the council said the draft would return for public review and a public hearing before placement on a ballot.
Next steps: staff will develop the draft bond/resolution language and present it to the council and the public for review; a public hearing and a subsequent council vote would be required before placing any bond question on a ballot.
