Fiscal Committee Meeting of the Stamford Board of Representatives - May 19, 2026
Fiscal Committee Meeting of the Stamford Board of Representatives - May 19, 2026
The Fiscal Committee of the Stamford Board of Representatives met on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Democratic Caucus Room and remotely. Co-Chairs Eric Morson and Andrew Zachary presided. The committee considered 16 agenda items, including several additional appropriations and resolutions, and approved all but one (Item 2 was taken as no action). Key discussions focused on emergency asbestos abatement at Yerwood Community Center, a canal wall replacement at the Transfer Station, a Stamford High School priority project, and a boat launch feasibility study. The meeting adjourned at 8:07 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Item 4 (F32.074) – Resolution amending the capital budget to add $3,437,000 for the Transfer Station Canal Wall Replacement and authorizing $2,762,000 in general obligation bonds. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 5 (F32.075) – Additional appropriation of $25,000 (grant) for Project Champion substance use prevention initiatives. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 6 (F32.076) – Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign agreements with the Child Health and Development Institute for Project Champion. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 8 (F32.078) – Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an agreement with the Connecticut Port Authority for Cummings Marina dredging biological testing. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 9 (F32.079) – Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an agreement for the Emergency Management Performance Grant ($69,500 already allocated). Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 13 (F32.083) – Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign agreements with the Connecticut Port Authority for the Stamford Harbor Boat Launch Feasibility 2 Project. Approved 7-0-1 (Co-Chair Zachary abstained).
- Item 14 (F32.084) – Additional appropriation of $85,000 (grant) to provide $50,000 to Project Music and $35,000 to ROSCCO for youth music education, childcare, and enrichment. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 15 (F32.085) – Resolution related to the application for a School Construction Priority Science Lab Alteration and Energy Conservation Grant for Stamford High School. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 16 (F32.086) – Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign agreements with the U.S. Economic Development Administration for the East Harbor canal retaining wall project. Approved 8-0-0.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 (F32.071) – Emergency Asbestos Abatement at Yerwood Community Center ($398,695). Director of Operations Matt Quiñones presented. During a renovation funded by ARPA, hazardous building material was found; air testing showed no detections but the building was evacuated as a precaution. The Boys and Girls Club and other tenants were relocated. Emergency abatement was completed, and testing afterward was clear. The city used the blight fund to cover costs to avoid impacting the renovation budget. Rep. Noella Pine asked about original budgeted asbestos amounts; Quiñones explained that the amount was exceeded, so a different funding source was used. Approved 7-0-0 (Rep. Graham arrived after vote, later counted as 8-0-0).
- Items 2 & 3 (F32.072 & F32.073) – Transfer Station Canal Wall Replacement. City Engineer Lou Casolo explained that the original 80% federal/20% local grant (EDA) changed to 60% federal/40% local. Item 2 was a closeout rejection of the previous 20% federal match ($2,537,000). The committee took no action, allowing automatic rejection in 60 days. Item 3 requested a $3,437,000 capital appropriation for the replacement, comprising $2,537,000 in city bonds (the additional 20% local match) plus $225,000 in bonds for design, paired with a pending FEMA BRIC grant of $675,000 (75% federal). Total project cost remains $12,685,000. Approved 8-0-0. Item 4 (consent) authorized the bonds.
- Item 10 (F32.080) – Early Start CT Quality Enhancement Funding. Resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign an agreement with the Office of Early Childhood. Approved 7-0-1 (Rep. Lapine abstained).
- Item 11 (F32.081) – Stamford High School Priority Project ($9,925,945). Director of School Construction Katherine LoBalbo and Travis Schnell of KG&D presented. The project consolidates several capital initiatives into one priority grant application to the state for 60% reimbursement. Scope includes exterior envelope improvements (brick veneer, windows, insulation) to address water infiltration and energy loss, asbestos abatement of flooring, limited HVAC/univentilator replacements, and converting science labs to universal learning spaces. Total project budget is $27 million, with local share already authorized from prior budgets. The grant application is due June 30, 2026; state approval expected around December 2026, with construction starting summer 2028. Cost controls include including the gym facade as an add-alternate and partnering with a construction manager at risk. Approved 8-0-0.
- Item 12 (F32.082) – Stamford Harbor Boat Launch Feasibility Study ($125,000). Harbor Management Commission Chair Damian Ortelli and Parks & Recreation Director Kevin Murray presented. Phase 2 of a study for a potential public boat launch at Czescik Park (south of the hurricane barrier). The Connecticut Port Authority provides a 50% match; the Harbor Commission is funding the entire match from previous projects. Phase 1 was a tabletop study. The site is on a former landfill, requiring DEP approvals and testing. Rep. Jeff Graham (district representative) expressed concerns about existing park infrastructure (parking, trails, lighting) and questioned the need for another boat launch given existing ones at Cove and West Beach. Ortelli cited safety needs for boat evacuation from the inner harbor, especially with the restored marina at the former Brewer boatyard. Murray noted ongoing efforts to improve park lighting and grading. The study will address site conditions and permitting. Approved 5-1-2 (Rep. Graham opposed; Co-Chair Zachary and Rep. Dorsey abstained).
- Item 7 (F32.077) – Cummings Marina Dredging Chemical Testing ($62,500). Casolo explained that a state grant from the Connecticut Port Authority covers 50% of chemical testing of dredge spoils to determine if disposal can be in open water (cheaper). The testing supports a design to dredge Cummings Marina, damaged by Superstorm Sandy. Approved 8-0-0.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: All items except Item 2 (no action) and Item 12 (split vote) were approved by large majorities.
- Decisions:
- Approved emergency asbestos abatement funding for Yerwood Community Center.
- Approved canal wall replacement for Transfer Station with revised grant structure (60% federal, 40% local).
- Approved Stamford High School priority project application and related resolution.
- Approved boat launch feasibility study for Czescik Park despite concerns about park conditions.
- Approved several grant-related resolutions and appropriations for youth programs, emergency management, and dredging.
- Referrals/Next Steps: The Stamford High School grant application will be submitted by June 30, 2026. The boat launch feasibility study will proceed with RFP and design phase. The canal wall project will move forward with the new funding structure.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Well, it is now 7 p.m. And this is the May 19th, Tuesday, May 19th meeting of the fiscal committee, the Board of Representatives in attendance. I see Thomas Bouchard, Representative Dola Cruz, Representative Dorsey, Representative Parker Johnson, Representative Noella Pine, Representative Eric Morrison, and I am Andrew Zachary, co-chair of the fiscal committee. And with that, we have a quorum. So tonight I'll start off with agenda item number one, F32.071 for 398,695. An additional appropriation operating funding for emergency obestes abatement at services at Yearwood Community Center, 90 Fairfield Avenue. Matt, do you want to speak out on this? Sure. Happy to uh just give a quick overview. Sorry, I just I need to move this to our vote. Move item one, move out of the second. Thank you. Sorry, now we can go. So I need to remember my order and care. Go ahead. No worries. Uh uh thank you to the uh committee for taking this item up. I'll just offer just a brief overview uh timeline for this particular request. Um so we uh were pursuing a and are pursuing a renovation project at the Yearwood Center uh supported by ARPA funding uh in the course of uh that um uh renovation uh work and inspection was conducted and which uh there was hazardous building material that was uh inspected um abatement um was necessary in order for us to remove asbestos that had been uh identified in the course of that inspection. Um as a result, uh we took measures to uh immediately uh vacate the the building just out of an abundance of caution, though the the air testing uh did prove that there was uh nothing detected um at that time. We felt it prudent uh to just move swiftly um and we worked with the uh building occupant, the boys and girls club to relocate uh their services as well as other tenants within that building um and conducted uh emergency um waiver to pursue the abatement project uh that um went through the course of several weeks, which has since been uh completed and we are now um moving forward uh with with all the renovation work. Um testing has come back clear uh following um that work. However, it did require us to to move through a uh emergency waiver process, which is why we are coming to you uh following the the execution of the work. Uh we chose to leverage the blight fund uh in order to cover the cost of this abatement so that we wouldn't um eat into the funding that was appropriated for the scope of the renovation project. Um so we're before you this evening uh with that request. Thank you. Uh thank you very much, uh Director Carnones. Are there any questions from the floor? And I see we're joined by Representative Walson, ex officio. Just one of the one question from Representative O'Paunt. Yeah. Hi, Director Kignones. Could you just um remind us or just clarify what was the original assessment for the asbestos abatement, or is this the total cost, original expectation of the cost? Well, there was a budgeted amount within the I would say kind of conceptual budget of the renovation project. Some uh line item was held in anticipation for potentially um uh uh approaching asbestos in the course of inspection and renovation. However, uh when we conducted the inspection, it was it was beyond uh what that expectation was. So that's why we chose to move to a different funding source so that we wouldn't eat into uh the the renovation budget um where we would have to uh make compromises on on the overall scope. Um so um I don't know that might answer part of your question, but I think the other part is this is the totality of that um uh abatement scope at this point. Okay. And so then what happens to that set aside that was within the original budget? Is that roll into just other project costs? Yes, it stays within the the project scope. Um, and we can get further uh in terms of that. So uh you know, as you're probably aware, when we set out a budget, it's at a conceptual phase. Um, we're now in the process of designing, so we start to fine-tune those cost estimates a little bit better, and um we can get further with our our renovation. There's no shortage of um requests from from the tenant and building occupants, so um, I have no doubt we'll we'll find plenty of use for for the entire two million. Okay, great. Thank you. Thank you.
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