2018-11-08 Public Forum TOWN OF BERLIN
COMMUNITY/ SENIOR CENTER OPEN FORUM
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Berlin High School
7:00 P.M.
Mayor Kaczynski convened the meeting at 7:04 p.m. He thanked the attendees for
joining the second forum to discuss the possibility of a Community/ Senior Center.
Mayor Kaczynski stated that another meeting will be held on Tuesday, 11/13/18 at
the Senior Center where the same information will be given to the seniors, and they
may also ask questions and share thoughts and comments. Mayor Kaczynski
encouraged the public to attend any Town Council or Board or Commission meeting
and speak during the Audience of Citizens portion of those meetings. This study and
preliminary engineering process will go on for a while, and there is plenty of time
for public input.
Town Manager Healy explained that Berlin has applied for a $750K grant to fund a
study and preliminary engineering of a joint Community/ Senior Center. He stated
that he wants to hear from residents whether they are for or against such a facility,
and what they would like in such a facility. Town Manager Healy stated that if the
grant application is approved, the $750K is not awarded in a lump sum, rather
Berlin would apply for release of the funds as needed to pay for consultants,
engineers, etc. An advisory committee will continue to work with the community to
determine needs and create a conceptual design. From there, a Statement of Need
will be drafted detailing the facility needs, size of building, etc. and submitted to
Town Council along with public comments (both from the public forums and
submitted to the Town Manager's office directly). If approved, the Statement of
Need then goes to the Public Building Commission which will then issue a Request
for Qualification and designate an architect and engineer to work on the
programmatic needs. Town Manager Healy expects that the Public Building
Commission will work with the various Commissions, Committees and Boards to
develop the design, and finally present its report and cost estimates to the Town
Council. Eventually the proposition would go to public vote, and if approved the
Public Building Commission would begin final engineering. Town Manager Healy
stated that the process takes time and a lot of community input.
Joe Bajorski, 8 Butternut Lane - Mr. Bajorski spoke on behalf of the Berlin Housing
Authority. The Housing Authority is in favor of the Senior Center being relocated.
The current structure was designed in 1984 for a much smaller demographic. The
senior population is growing rapidly and the current facility doesn't have enough
parking, breakout rooms, etc. Relocating the Senior Center would serve two
purposes: providing seniors with more adequate with parking, elevators,
handicapped accessibility, etc.; and Berlin Housing could repurpose the existing
Senior Center property as additional housing for seniors. Mr. Bajorski added that he
was on the Town Council when the Community Center was relocated to the Library
basement space, and that was meant to only span a 10-year period,which has been
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greatly exceeded. Mr. Bajorski also suggested that the Town consider locating any
such joint Community/ Senior Center in the periphery of downtown. The center
would be a traffic generator, benefitting restaurants and stores in the area.
Specifically, he feels Pistol Creek would not be an ideal location.
Mayor Kaczynski agreed that from what is currently known, Pistol Creek may not
work as a Community/ Senior Center location. While the advisory committee
should consider Pistol Creek,there are other programs run out of it and it is out of
the "main stream" area. Mayor Kaczynski thinks a location by the train station
downtown would be best.
Jim Norton, 36 Steepleview Drive - Mr. Norton asked if the proposed Community/
Senior Center was contemplated as a "drop-in center" for local youth to have a safe
place to go and stay out of trouble.
Mayor Kaczynski responded that a drop-in destination hasn't been specifically
discussed, but he doesn't see why not. The proposed facility design will include an
indoor pool and gymnasium, and it is meant to service the entire community. He
added that the school gymnasiums can be expensive to rent over the weekend, and
he is happy to be discussing this proposed facility with the public.
Karen Pagliaro, 221 Stillmeadow Lane - Ms. Pagliaro is a Town Council member and
stated that she wasn't invited to the planned Senior Center forum on 9/13/18.
Mayor Kaczynski replied that the Senior Center forum was set at the most recent
Town Council meeting (on 10/16/18) and he will coordinate an email to Town
Council members further advising of the upcoming forum.
Kathy O'Donnell-Moss, 80 Brandegee Lane - Ms. O'Donnell-Moss asked if a
partnership with the YMCA is still being considered. She spoke at a previous forum
and reiterated her feeling that any Town facility be separate from the YMCA. She
stated that there is a history of failed joint projects between the YMCA and other
towns.
Mayor Kaczynski replied that every option will be considered - different locations,
possible partnerships, etc. Financing of any facility will be under consideration
early in the process, and the cost to build a facility may be as high as $25M - $30M.
Mayor Kaczynski would hate to spend the grant money to plan a project that would
be voted down by the public.
Don Dellaquila, 4 Grapevine Lane - Mr. Dellaquila was at the last forum and
observed that every speaker at that forum was in favor of a joint Community/
Senior Center. People were very positive at that meeting, and Mr. Dellaquila
continues to be in favor of a Town facility to act as a Community/ Senior Center.
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Phyllis Norton, 36 Steepleview Drive - Mrs. Norton stated that there is a very nice
Community Center in Mansfield, Connecticut that might be a model for Berlin to
study/ follow. Friends of hers chose that facility over private gym memberships
due to the affordable cost (even for out-of-town members) and the quality of the
gym and pool.
Mayor Kaczynski stated that residents are in this together, as it's all of our tax
dollars that are in question. He thanked everybody for their attendance and
participation. He hopes that as we get further into the process,we can narrow the
options to suit the needs and requests of the community.
The forum adjourned at 7:26 p.m.
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