Town of South Windsor Explanatory Text for Referendum Questions

TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR EXPLANATORY TEXT          

The South Windsor Town Council, at its regular meeting on September 4, 2012, adopted appropriations and borrowing resolutions in connection with the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 capital expenditures budget and further voted to submit certain resolutions, in accordance with the Town Charter, to the electors and qualified voters of South Windsor for approval or disapproval at a referendum to be held in conjunction with the November 6, 2012 election.

Pursuant to Sec. 9-369b of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended, the Town Council has authorized the Town Clerk to prepare, with the approval of the Town Attorney, an explanatory text with respect to each question on the ballot.  The applicable text is set forth under each of the five questions below. These explanatory texts will be furnished to each applicant for an absentee ballot and will be made available for public distribution and at the polling places. The full texts of the resolutions, as approved by the Town Council, are on file and available for public inspection at the Office of the Town Clerk, Town Hall, 1540 Sullivan Avenue, South Windsor, CT  06074, during the Town’s regular business hours.

The appropriations and bond note authorizations to be voted on shall be placed on the ballots under the following ballot headings:

1. Shall the resolution appropriating and authorizing bonds in the amount of $5,790,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of various renovations and improvements to the Town’s schools, including information technology systems, educational technology and equipment be approved?

This appropriation will be used for a number of capital projects for the South Windsor school system. In summary, it will be used to acquire computer equipment and information technology systems for South Windsor schools. It will be used to replace the High School roof, gym lockers and to complete the second of five phases of paving replacement. It will also be used to resurface the High School track.  In addition, this appropriation will be used to replace the roof on both the Orchard Hill and Pleasant Valley Elementary Schools and to replace the floor in the Pleasant Valley Elementary School kitchen. The serving line in the Timothy Edwards Middle School Café also will be replaced. Said appropriation is inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof and may be used for administrative, financing, legal and other costs of issuance related thereto.

2. Shall the resolution appropriating and authorizing bonds in the amount of $1,270,000 for planning, design, acquisition and construction of various renovations and improvements to Town buildings be approved?

This appropriation will be used for a number of renovations and improvements to South Windsor Town buildings. These renovations and improvements include: new boilers, heat pumps and a generator for the Community Center, and generators for both the Town Garage and for the High School emergency shelter operations. Improvements to the Police Department will include a new oil/gas storage tank, a generator and HVAC pumps with cooling tower. Improvements to the Town Hall will include the replacement of boilers and gas mains, HVAC improvements and other improvements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Said appropriation is inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof and may be used for administrative, financing, legal and other costs of issuance related thereto.

3. Shall the resolution appropriating and authorizing bonds in the amount of $4,000,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of various road paving and drainage improvements be approved?

This appropriation would be used for several road paving and drainage improvement projects to the following roads:  Chapel Road, Dart Hill Road, Foster Street, Nevers Road, Nutmeg Road, and other neighborhood connector roads. This appropriation would be used to plan, design, construct and for any land acquisitions required for these improvements. Said appropriation is inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof and may be used for administrative, financing, legal and other costs of issuance related thereto. The Town Council may, by resolution duly adopted, add to or delete from the list of proposed projects provided the total appropriation and bond authorization does not increase.

4. Shall the resolution appropriating and authorizing bonds in the amount of $1,620,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of improvements to Town’s information technology systems and equipment be approved?

This appropriation would be used for the upgrading of the Town of South Windsor’s information technology systems and equipment. The proposed improvements and upgrades include new computers and computer system equipment, network upgrades and GIS database conversion and upgrades. Said appropriation is inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof and may be used for administrative, financing, legal and other costs of issuance related thereto. 

5. Shall the resolution appropriating and authorizing bonds in the amount of $1,010,000 for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of improvements to existing park system and athletic facilities be approved?

This appropriation will be used to plan, design and construct various improvements to the Town of South Windsor’s park system and athletic facilities. The proposed improvements include the installation and/or construction of water features, playgrounds, bike paths, fields, irrigation systems and restrooms. Said appropriation is inclusive of any and all State and Federal grants-in-aid thereof and may be used for administrative, financing, legal and other costs of issuance related thereto.