TOWN OF ENFIELD NEW FACILITY DEVELOPMENT
REPORT PREPARED BY SUPERVISOR JEAN OWENS
AND COUNCILPERSON ROBERT HARVEY
July 7, 2006
In 2001, the Enfield Planning Board took on the task of developing the Town of Enfield’s Comprehensive Plan at the request of the Enfield Town Board. The Planning Board sponsored community forums and numerous meetings over a nine month period. Over 50 Enfield residents attended those forums in conjunction with the Planning Board. With the assistance of Nancy Potter from Cornell Cooperative Extension as facilitator, a draft Comprehensive Plan was developed. The Enfield Town Board adopted that plan in December of 2001.
The Comprehensive Plan identified the need for new facilities to replace the aging Town of Enfield’s Highway and Town Hall facility and the Community Building. The Plan also called for the Highway Barns to be built outside of the Hamlet of Enfield Center.
In 2003, a parcel of land was purchased by the Enfield Town Board with an eye to the future of Enfield located south of the Hamlet on State Route 327.
The Town of Enfield began a Capital Improvement Fund as well. Presently, approximately $400,000 is in that fund with some additional funds available to bring that total up to around $500,000.
We have a rough estimate for construction of a new highway facility at around $500,000 and a new town hall facility at around an additional $500,000. The Supervisor is pursuing the potential application for grants that could conceivably fund the building of a new community building. Roughly speaking, to replace the 2 aging structures with 3 new facilities would require approximately $500,000 in financing. Built into the budget presently, $50,000 is set aside each year for capital improvement needs. That $50,000 can be applied to the payment of that financing over a 12-15 year period, depending on interest rates, resulting in no need to raise taxes to accomplish this construction. The town is in a fiscal position to pursue the replacement of our buildings particularly in light of escalating construction costs that continue to rise beyond cost of living increases.
A Highway Barns, Town Hall including Town Court, and Community Building, ideally, would be separate. A community facility including children’s activities, according to present examples and much discussion of mutual use of space, frequently doesn’t match well with the demands of a town hall and town courts. A highway facility would be much better suited to be in a location away from the center of activity on a larger lot to accommodate piles of gravel, etc. and lessen impact on residencies. The present location of the Town Highway might well be ideal for the Town Hall where Town Court ,Town Officials and meetings are more accessible and centrally located.
Please review the New Facility slide presentation. These are examples of facilities in existence nearby that help us better visualize what our new facilities might look like.
