Plans For Juvenile Detention Facility Off The Table In Tolland: Officials

TOLLAND, CT — Any plans to convert a former corporate campus in Tolland into a juvenile detention center are off the table.

That was the word from Tolland Town Manager Brian Foley after a meeting with state officials.

"This afternoon members of our state delegation and Town Manager Brian Foley met with the State of Connecticut working group regarding 303 Merrow Road," town officials said. "Justice Joan Alexander informed us that the state will not be pursing 303 Merrow Road for its REGIONS program. The seller has been notified, and the State of Connecticut has also issued a statement. "

The statement from Justice Joan Alexander said, "The Judicial Branch has concluded that a REGIONS facility in Tolland would not serve the best interests of the juveniles in our care or advance the objectives of the program provided by the dedicated staff who work with them."

Town officials added, "On behalf of the Town Council, we thank the residents for voicing their concerns. As a result of the state's decision, the Council is cancelling the Monday, March 16 meeting."

Last month state Reps Tammy Nuccio and Tim Ackert, state Sen. Jeff Gordon and Foley announced that the proposed state purchase of a property along Tolland's "only main commercial corridor" for a juvenile detention-related facility had been temporarily halted.

Town and legislative officials were up in arms over the proposal, saying they were not made aware of the move.

The parcel in question was the Nerac campus at 1 Technology Drive, also along the 300 Block of Merrow Road (No. 303). Merrow Road is also state Route 195. The land is in close proximity to several daycare facilities and just more than a mile by vehicle to Birch Grove Primary School and a lot closer through some abutting woods.

The pause, officials said, followed a "productive meeting" between the Tolland legislative delegation, town administrators, representatives of the Judicial Branch, and state officials.

The meeting was facilitated by the Governor's Office and resulted in an agreement to stop the purchase process until "further evaluations are completed," according to legislative and town officials.

One argument was a "lack of transparency," Gordon and Nuccio said. Judicial Branch officials pointed to state statutes governing real estate transactions that limit public disclosure during negotiations in order to prevent artificial inflation of property values.

However, local leaders were adamant that the community needed to "have a full understanding of the proposal and its potential impact" before any final decision is made."

Thursday's meeting knocked it all off the table and made the halt permanent.

The facility would have been part of the CT REGIONS Secure Treatment Program, a therapeutic, staff-secure residential program for court-involved youth (primarily boys aged 14 through 18) operated by the Connecticut Judicial Branch. It offers community-based treatment for six to 12 months, focusing on "trauma-informed care, education, and skill-building to facilitate successful community reintegration."

The facility would have sported 20 beds.