Council sends $511 million school rebuild to November voters

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  The Enfield Town Council voted unanimously to approve a $511 million school project, supported by an $89 million town share. Voters will have final say in November.  The Town Council voted Wednesday unanimously to send a $511 million plan to Enfield voters to rebuild the town's elementary school system. The town's cost is $89 million, and that's what voters will be asked to approve in November. The plan builds four new PK-5 schools on the sites of Hazardville Memorial, Prudence Crandall, Edgar H. Parkman and Henry Barnard, and converts Eli Whitney into a new home for Eagle Academy. Work runs in two phases. The entire project will take seven to eight years. Mayor Gina Cekala said Enfield doesn't have much choice. "$89 million is a lot of money. It sounds like a lot of money. It is a lot of money," she said. But she put the town's share in proportion. Of the $511 million, "Enfield is going to be responsible for a maximum of 17% of this project."...
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Santannella Talks Taxes, Schools, and the Enfield Square Project in Candid Interview

I had the chance to interview Councilmember and State Rep. John Santanella on his Cox TV show, Community Crossroads. We discussed some of the major issues in this election.

One thing missing from Enfield’s election season is real discussion. There are no debates, no forums where a panel or the public can question the candidates. As a result, we usually hear more about their backgrounds and resumes than how they would tackle the town’s biggest challenges.

With that in mind, Councilmember and State Rep. John Santanella invited me to interview him on his Cox TV show Community Crossroads.

[Here’s the link to the show.]

Usually, he’s the one asking the questions, but this time he asked me to turn the tables and focus on town issues. I was glad to take him up on it.

The questions I asked are the same ones I’d put to any candidate: the property revaluation, school funding, economic development, the Enfield Square redevelopment, outsourcing of town services, the charter-revision questions, and the election outlook.

Santanella did not see the questions in advance — credit to him for taking the initiative. Whether you agree or disagree with his positions, you’ll come away from this discussion with a clear sense of where he stands.