No motion was made to discuss a $390,000 bonding authorization to remove asbestos and replace the shingles on Monroe Town Hall's leaky roof during a Town Meeting Monday night, before voters approved the funds by paper ballot 29-3.
At a time when the police station that shares town hall is being renovated with two small additions in the back, many believe the upgrades to the 40-year-old building's roof are long overdue.
Town Councilman Tony Unger was pleased that the funds were approved, but was critical of the process.
"As a member of the Capital Improvements Committee, we've been talking about this for six years," he said. "I'm very upset that this is getting done piecemeal without a plan."
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Fellow council member, Debra Dutches also criticized the process.
"The Town Council supported the roof in the past two budget cycles and asked that it be in the budget process and it wasn't," she said.
A Policy Proposal
During the Town Council meeting afterward, Unger proposed a new policy when coming before the council with bonding requests for projects.
According to the policy, a request must be made at least two weeks before any potential vote and it must include the following items for the project to be considered:
- A complete scope of the project
- A timeline for implementation and completion as well as status review dates and other milestones
- Estimate of costs including contingency
- Suggested oversight committee
- Potential alternatives considered
"The aforementioned items must be submitted in writing by the First Selectman to the Town Council. The Council also welcomes the input of various department heads and members of the public on projects. However, it is important that the Council have a written record of items from the First Selectman," Unger said while reading the policy proposal to the rest of the council.
Unger asked that the proposed policy go to the council's Legislative & Administrative Committee for review. The rest of the council agreed.
