Miffed Southington Officials Mull New Rules After Sports Teams Paint Town Property

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Southington officials are considering whether the town needs stronger rules governing changes to municipal property after local sports teams painted logos on town-owned facilities without prior approval.

Southington Town Manager Alex Ricciardone told the Southington Town Council on Aug. 10 that the issue was on the agenda for informational purposes after recent incidents involving sports teams painting their logos on town property.

All town parks and their buildings are owned by Southington, Ricciardone said.

While the town has agreements with youth sports leagues covering responsibilities such as maintenance and water bills, the municipality retains ownership of the facilities.

In one instance, Ricciardone said, a team painted an entire side of a building.

The town directed the team to paint over it using generic Town of Southington colors.

Going forward, Ricciardone said he and the recreation director will review proposed changes that are minor in nature.

More significant proposals would first go before the Southington Parks and Recreation Board and then to the town council.

Southington Town Council Chairman Paul Chaplinsky said the council could consider adopting an ordinance to establish broader oversight of changes to town property.

He noted that field naming and other actions involving municipal property have occurred in the past without council approval.

Chaplinsky said any change to town-owned property should be reviewed by the council.

Councilor Tony Morrison asked whether the new approach constituted an ordinance or a policy.

Ricciardone said it is currently a policy he is implementing administratively, but council members could take further action if they choose.

The council took no formal action on the issue at the Aug. 10 meeting.

The discussion leaves open the possibility that council members could pursue an ordinance establishing formal approval requirements for alterations to town-owned property.

For the minutes of the Aug. 10 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.