Bethel projects back before voters for money
It took two tries to arrive at a majority conclusion on the ambulance station expansion project.
By Terry Karkos
Staff Writer

BETHEL – Voters going to the polls in Bethel on Nov. 4 will have more to consider than bond issues, statewide referenda and citizen initiatives.

At Monday night’s joint meeting between selectmen and the Budget Committee, both groups agreed to recommend taking $158,000 out of surplus to finance two projects.

Those capital improvement projects involve spending up to $150,000 to expand and improve Bethel Rescue’s ambulance barn and using up to $8,000 to relocate the intersection of the Taylor Smith Road and Route 26.

Final approval, however, rests with voters Nov. 4.

Both groups favored both projects, but it took the Budget Committee two tries to arrive at a majority conclusion on the ambulance station expansion project.

The first vote to approve recommending the project ended in a 4-4 tie, much like the first time the ambulance station project went before voters at the June town meeting.

At that meeting, voters split 314-314, shooting down the project.

“A tie game is like kissing your sister,” said Selectman Al Barth, expressing his opinion about the possibility that November voting would again end in a stalemate unless Bethel Rescue better marketed the proposed project.

Several Budget Committee members objected to the board’s approach of bringing the proposal back for a revote without reception of a petition signed by 158 residents asking for a revote.

While selectmen agreed that they should have followed proper procedures to bring the matter up for a revote, they didn’t want it being resolved at a special town meeting.

“We had 628 people vote at the general election and we’re only going to have 63 people at a special town meeting,” Barth said.

Following more discussion, the Budget Committee voted 6-2 to reconsider their recommendation vote, then followed with a 6-2 vote recommending approval of the expansion project.

Selectmen recommended a yes vote on the project with a tally of 4-1.

On the road relocation project, the Budget Committee recommended a yes vote with a 6-1 tally, while selectmen approved it 5-0.

Barth summed up several minutes of discussion, saying it was a “no-brainer” to spend up to $8,000 to relocate the Taylor Smith Road intersection with Route 26 by moving it 600 feet north.

He said that if the issue doesn’t pass, the town would have to improve 1,225 feet of the existing road on its own rather than build 900 feet of new road by working with area developers who are donating time and materials.

“This is a good deal because the developers are working with the town to get the road built,” said Selectmen Reggie Brown. “We’re getting 900 feet of road done real cheap.”

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link