Greenwich RTM Approves $542 Million Budget After Lengthy Debate On New Ice Rink Funding

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting on Monday night overwhelmingly approved a $542.3 million budget for 2026-2027, but not without lengthy debate over three motions to cut funds from the spending plan.

Just one cut was supported - a motion to reduce the Roger Sherman Baldwin Park redevelopment project by $100,000, while heftier cuts to funding for a new ice rink and the replacement of the swimming pool at Greenwich High School were rejected.

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A motion to strike a budget resolution, a move that would have given the RTM oversight over funds collected through the temporarily halted school zone speed camera program, also failed after extensive debate. The vote was 79-107-8.

The vote to pass the budget as amended was 170 in favor, with 13 opposed and one abstention. The meeting adjourned just before 11 p.m.

The big ticket item of the night involved a joint motion from Districts 9 and 10 to cut funding for a new Dorothy Hamill ice rink by $38.5 million, leaving $2.7 million solely for architectural and engineering work, and final design services.

The motion was denied by a vote of 54 in favor, 144 opposed and five abstentions.

The budget includes $1.2 million for design work and $40 million for construction of a new Hamill rink within Eugene Morlot Memorial Park.

The rink was built in 1972 as a slab of ice and boards, and expanded piecemeal. The facility has fallen into disrepair in the years since to the point that a replacement is needed.

The current proposal calls for the construction of a new 40,671-square-foot, regulation-size skating facility in the outfield of the baseball diamond within Eugene Morlot Memorial Park, just north of the existing rink. A new regulation baseball field with various park enhancements are also proposed.

John Hopley of District 10 argued that separating the final design funds from the construction funds "preserves the RTM's traditional review and oversight function."

"The RTM serves as the town's final legislative authority in the budget process. Appropriating both final design and construction funding simultaneously substantially limits the RTM's future ability, we believe, to evaluate the project based on completed engineering, validated costs, and finalized scope designs," Hopley said, adding the appropriation "represents a significant deviation from the manner in which the RTM has traditionally approved funding for large municipal projects."

Hopley also said the current cost estimate was preliminary, that the scope of the project has expanded since the RTM voted against a previous proposal in January 2025, and that major project elements remained "insufficiently defined." He also said private funding discussions to bring the price tag down remained "preliminary."

Over the course of an hour, most speakers opposed the proposed motion to cut funding, arguing it was time to fund the project and replace the ageing rink. Many said the project was fully vetted and that previous concerns were addressed by two committees and ultimately a task force.

Read also: Gold Medal Olympian Dorothy Hamill Voices Support For New Greenwich Ice Rink

"For many in Byram and across Greenwich, this project is about far more than a rink. It is about finally delivering a safe, modern gathering place for children, families, veterans, athletes and residents of all abilities," said RTM member Steph Cowie, who is on the Hamill Rink Task Force. "This request does not diminish our role. In fact, it's because of the RTM this project successfully moved through the town process a second time."

Eliza Cornelius, a ninth grader at Greenwich High School, said hockey is a big part of her family's life, and she pointed out the impact a quality ice rink can have on youth.

"The longer this takes, the longer youth players, families and the community are stuck with a rink everybody already knows is old and past its useful life," she said. "For a lot of us, the rink is more than just a building. It's where we're growing up. This project has been studied, reviewed, supported, and moved through the proper process. It's ready."

Greenwich Public Works Commissioner Jim Michel said the town is "very dedicated to completing a project on time, on budget, and in a timely manner," noting design work is intended to be completed by December. The project would then go out to bid in January 2027 and possibly be under contract for the start of construction next March.

"That is the purpose in asking for the funding in the entire project," Michel said. "This is a process that is not necessarily always completed, but because of the number of years that we've been doing this project, that's the reason why we feel we can meet all those timeframes."

Michel said he feels his department has an "adequate budget" for the project, but in the event that more money is needed, officials will have to come back before the Board of Estimate and Taxation and RTM for an appropriation.

"To say you will not have another chance to discuss this is an incorrect statement," Michel said.

In comments to the RTM at the start of Monday's meeting, First Selectman Fred Camillo said debate surrounding the rink goes back to 1975.

"There has been no project, no debate that has been longer lasting than this," Camillo said. "It's been thoroughly vetted. It's time."

A motion to reduce funding for the redevelopment of Roger Sherman Baldwin Park by $100,000 passed by a vote of 136 in favor, 61 opposed. The amendment leaves $150,000 to allow DPW personnel to complete an analysis of the relocation of the parks and trees building, a required step before other work can proceed.

Budget Overview Committee Chair James Waters, who brought the motion forward, said broader planning for the now-vacant Arch Street Teen Center building should be completed first "to ensure a comprehensive redevelopment plan can be built." The Arch Street Task Force is currently working through options for the building's future, Waters said.

Michel said $150,000 was for initial review and consultation to determine the relocation of the parks and trees building, and the remaining $100,000, which has been conditioned by the BET, was to be used to start the design process for the site.

"Although specifically not outlined that the Arch Street building itself is included in that, and this funding is not intended to fund reviews by the Arch Street Task Force, the overall site, as we move forward, will be reviewed," he said.

An effort to reduce funding for the GHS pool replacement by $2.4 million failed to gain traction and was defeated by a vote of 34 in favor, 162 opposed and four abstentions.

Several Greenwich swimmers and coaches spoke against the proposed cut, saying it would delay a much-needed project and impact student-athletes.

Elsewhere, the budget includes funding for several capital and infrastructure projects across Greenwich, including replacement of the Byram River Bridge and Fairfield Road culvert, continued renovations at Julian Curtiss School, and final-phase soil remediation work at GHS.

The budget also allocates funding for upgrades to tennis courts and access improvements at GHS, improvements to the Wallace Center senior facility, and an investment in a fire tanker in partnership with volunteer fire companies.

"I'd like to thank the BET for working well this year with all of the departments, the Office of the First Selectman, and the RTM. It was a very productive year with the budget," Camillo said Monday night. "There was a lot of give and take, a lot of good questions asked, a lot of thorough vetting. I think we came to a good conclusion there."