Newport voters approve rec center funding

By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
Special to the Eagle Times
NEWPORT — Newport voters, at least 49 of them, were in the mood at this week’s Deliberative Session to support a tax increase of 46 cents that will shift the plans for a new recreation center from park to drive.

An attempt to amend the request for $200,000 down to $100,000 had virtually no support, losing on a ballot vote, 49-4, Tuesday.

Voters at the annual May 8 Town Meeting will have the final say on the $200,000 article to cover architectural, engineering and construction management fees and related design costs for a new recreation center.

Initially, Bert Spaulding Sr. offered an amendment that would have trimmed the request down to $50,000 to keep it alive and at the same time trim the tax bite from 46 cents down to approximately 12 cents.

“Cutting this back to $50,000 will only push it off another year. We need to move forward and do it right away,” said Board of Selectman Chairman Jeff Kessler.

Based on an outgoing round of support from voters at the Opera House meeting, Spaulding withdrew his original amendment for a $150,000 reduction and offered a second amendment calling for a $100,000 cut along with a secret ballot.

The 49-4 vote followed positive support from several members in the audience to get the project off the ground with this initial action.

It has taken the town between 20 and 25 years to take the first $200,000 step, according to two speakers favoring the plan.

If voters approve the $200,000 request on May 8, it is anticipated a final plan will be ready for consideration at the 2019 May Town Meeting.

Spaulding said he supports the effort to have a new Community Center in Newport. 

However, now is not the time to add another 46 cents to the tax rate, he related.

During testimony at Monday’s meeting of the Newport Board of Selectmen, renovations and adding on to the existing recreation center were estimated at $9,361,775 with a lot of demolition involved.  It was noted that the present price tag projections for a new building to house the recreation center would be $8,827,943.

The new building would also be more economical to operate and maintain, it was noted.

Renovations at the third site considered, the former Towle Elementary School, were placed at $11,525,500. It was also stated that Towle was bigger than needed and there was not enough parking available.

Based on information shared at Tuesday’s meeting, the new recreation center would be built on the site that has been home to the Newport Little League baseball program for decades.

If that happens, the Little League program might move across the street to Meadow Park, the current home field for Newport High School baseball and field hockey team, it was mentioned at the Deliberative Session. It that occurs, the possibility of purchasing additional land in the area of Newport Middle and High School on North Main Street for the baseball and field hockey programs was briefly mentioned.

“There is probably no single gift you can give yourself than a new community center,” Rieseberg said.

The town manager said $1 million ids not a lot of money today. “As we go forward I think it will pay dividends for decades and decades. It won’t be cheaper next year or 25 years from now. The prices will probably go up 5-7 percent per year,” he added.

“What you see here is just a snapshot. The picture is not likely to look like that when it is build,” said Selectman Todd Fratzel.

“Nothing means more to me,” said Newport Recreation Director PJ Lovely. Some people will see this budget and be afraid. It is budget and taxpayer worthy.

“I know budget is important but this is important as we have a building for the future,” Lovely added. “A Community Center is a hook to get people to take a look at Newport.”

Fratzel also noted that the new community center would have flexible space for many groups to use, not just athletes. “There will be space for people in the community.”

A lot of time and a lot of effort by a lot of people have been involved,” said Christy Whipple, a member of the Newport Recreation Committee. “The $200,000 will show grant people we are in favor of this.”

“In the last year there has been a resurgence in this town for a new community center,” said resident Jackie Cote. “The train has left the station. Now let’s get this thing down.”

Lost in the discussion of the new Recreation Center proposal, the 2018-19 town operating budget of $9,675,732 passed without much discussion. The tax rate of the operating budget is anticipated to be $11.59, up less than 1 percent, and the default budget is anticipated to be $11.38.

Toward the end of the meeting that lasted 2 3/4 hours, no one spoke on Article 23 asking to allow the operation of KENO games within the town. That final outcome will also be known on May 8.