Don Lowe First Selectman Column 8/26/24
The Town Tribune’s August 15 issue had a wonderful article about the generous donation by Sherman resident, Alan Braverman, towards a cardiopulmonary assisted system. This device, called a LUCAS, performs chest compression for patients in cardiac arrest and is another invaluable tool in the SVFD’s life-saving kit. Mr. Braverman donated $18,000 for the LUCAS and we acknowledge his generosity. Sherman is full of amazing people. Let me also mention the efforts of our Al Burgasser who, in his own quiet way, provides this town with many rich musical experiences. Al, with a little help from his friends, put together the spectacular Sherman Opry Show which raised money for the Sherman Playhouse. He often entertains our Seniors on a volunteer basis and anyone present at the Town Beach pavilion this Sunday had a wonderful time with the resurrection of Cripple Creek, one of Al’s musical groups.
The Sherman School got its year started this morning (I write this on Mondays) and we wish everyone at the school the very best. I’m grateful for the teachers and the administration for the fine education that they provide. It pleases me no end to see our middle schoolers leave Sherman and frequently become leaders both academically, athletically, and artistically in the high schools and colleges that they attend.
Some people have asked me why I have been such a strong supporter this year of the school repair/renovation project. That’s an easy one to answer. First off, I have ALWAYS been a supporter of fixing our school facility. However, I have always been concerned, too, for the taxpayers as this repair/renovation effort moved forward, and we want no stone left unturned, no questions unanswered, while we complete this project to the best advantage of Sherman taxpayers. Now the unanswered questions prior to last fall’s failed referendum are answered and it’s time to move forward.
What’s different now? 1. The question of whether we can simply repair-as-we-go for less cost was answered in this winter’s thorough examination of the Friar Report. And we found that we cannot go that route without exposing taxpayers to huge expense over a period of many years. 2. The inclusion of the Board of Selectmen, and even more importantly our treasurer, in the process helped immensely to firm up funding and planning. This is a solid plan from design to financials. 3. The good fortune of getting a higher State reimbursement rate coupled with a less expensive overall plan is certainly a home run. 4. The alternative is grim and expensive. If this plan, slated to be completed in two years, fails we are probably left with repairing what breaks as we go along – a lengthy and intrusive process with an unknown price tag that will linger for a decade.
What will this repair/renovation cost? Independent of any budget increases (taxes have actually decreased by 10% since 2018, but that’s not guaranteed in the future and we examine this project’s cost independent of future budget numbers) taxpayers are looking at a 2.3% increase solely from the project in the first year. For the next 5 years the increase is at or very close to 2%. Then it decreases to 1% for a year and then decreases incrementally from that point every year to the end of the 25-year bond. This means, in those early years, that taxpayers will pay from $35 to $39 dollars per every $100,000 of assessment. The numbers here can fluctuate, more towards the positive, but this scenario is the most conservative. It projects no growth in the Grand List (the Grand List has almost always increased – a good thing) and projects minimal use of general fund surplus ($500K over the course of 5 years). You can take the math from there and base it on your own property assessment.
The final determination, I think, aside from the money numbers is to how you personally feel about living in a Town whose school facility’s infrastructure is compromised. As I have written before, it’s always been “Sherman’s Way” to keep everything the Town owns in great shape. But really, it comes down to your personal feelings. Do you think a sub-par school facility affects, for example, your property values? The Town’s culture? What are your feelings about education in general? Is education important to you? Yes, there’s a lot to consider here besides finances. These are hard decisions. But we are a profoundly marvelous town! Sherman always has been. And we are ready for the challenge of this decision.
