If the Enfield JFK renovation is defeated, what happens?

Storm is coming. Thompsonville. Taken Nov. 3, 2018

It feels as if sentiment in Enfield is building in support of the $84 million Enfield Middle School renovation. This isn't anchored to anything solid. But the supporters on the Enfield CT Open Forum, if they don't outnumber the opponents are at least holding their own, and a few of the reliably conservative voices have expressed support.

The photos posted on Facebook are difficult to argue against. The use of a portable heating system, delivered out of a truck, is indisputable evidence that the town is going to have to spend a lot of money on this school.

The town voters are being asked, in the Tuesday referendum, to approve about $27 million in town funds for a $84 million reconstruction of the school. The state is paying 70 percent.

If the referendum fails, what happens?

State support evaporates: Enfield has a state commitment for 70 percent reimbursement of the renovation cost. Should voters reject the JFK renovation a second time (they rejected it in 2017), the town will likely lose this funding commitment. The town can apply again for state help but Enfield is now at the end of the line among other towns. Moreover, the state is reducing the amount it sets aside for school renovation funding. This reimbursement means for a $27 million town investment, Enfield gets an $84 million renovation. 

The school still needs to be fixed: This includes heating, air conditioning, and removing hazardous materials, including PCPs. It also requires an upgrade to meet federal disability requirements. A 2015 study put this cost at $15 million. I've never seen the details of this estimate, but it has been described to me as something so bare-bones it won't pay for a new coat of paint. 

The town will have to bond again: It can't do this work piecemeal. It has to done coherently and it will be more expensive to try to do it in little pieces. The town will have to come back with a new plan and it's going to be a lot more than $15 million. This is a 50-year-school that handles 1,200 students. It needs an upgrade.  The taxpayers may end up paying more than $27 million as a result of reduced state support. 

Home prices may be hurt: There is a direct relationship between the quality of schools and home values. Young families will reject Enfield if the town's schools are sub-par and JFK -- in its present condition -- is a complete dump. If this renovation is rejected a second time, Enfield's reputation will take a solid hit. 

Fermi is not an option: The middle school's hub and spoke design separates 6th grade students from the older students. Fermi has to be adapted as a middle school. The building -- which is nearly as old as JFK -- also needs an upgrade. It may not get state money. Fermi is no longer a school and under the state school renovation rules may not be eligible for state support. People will say 'that makes no sense.' I agree. But that's how it works. 

What about the future of Enfield? 

People in Enfield -- and just about every other Connecticut town and city -- have always complained about taxes. I've never heard anything different since graduating from EHS in 1972. But this town, in the end, has a reputation of doing what's right for the future. 

Enfield's future is bright. Its advantages are strong. Young families are moving into Enfield. I see them and their children on my street and lifts my heart. It really does. But the town is at a crossroads. 

If Enfield rejects this referendum, it will miss an opportunity to deliver a school that will serve this town well for another half century. It may give people pause about the community. It will discourage some about its future. A vote 'no' won't do a thing to help those who complain about taxes. If Enfield is seen as less desirable, the town's reputation as a good place to live will suffer.  And we will all pay for that. 

[A note: I'm not writing this out of thin air. I've worked as a newspaper reporter in Connecticut and a tech policy reporter in Washington for combined nearly 40 years. I've covered towns and cities, and have covered Congress. Certain things remain the same, and some opportunities are fleeting. This is one of them)



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