Hekemian Rescinds Field Donation to Board of Education

The developer of the United Water property has rescinded its donation of three acres to the Board of Education for a field, the New Milford Schools Superintendent told a crowd that gathered in the New Milford High School auditorium Monday night.

According to Michael Polizzi, Hekemian's engineers performed a geological test on the portion of the BOE's property on which they intended to build the storm water retention basin and discovered that the water table was too high. For that reason, the donation of the land was rescinded, he said. 

"We regret the developer's decision as it stands today," Polizzi said. 

Hekemian entered into a "conceptual contract" with the New Milford BOE to donate more than three acres of property to construct a state of the art athletic field and stadium on a parcel of property that is not subject to flooding. 

The three-acre area designated for donation was located where the site plans had a storm water detention basin. The storm water detention basin was to be moved to the high school softball field with an easement to allow for the basin. 

In a prepared statement, Polizzi addressed those in the audience who had accused the BOE of getting involved in the United Water property at the "eleventh hour" by taking them through a detailed timeline, beginning when the land first became available in 2009, of the Board's persistent, but unsuccessful, urging of the Mayor and Council to partner with the BOE to acquire the property while they had the chance. 

Further emphasizing the BOE's position for entering into the land agreement with Hekemian, Polizzi said, "If we did nothing and [the hearing before the Zoning Board] went to court, we would potentially have everything SOD hates and not one blade of grass." 

Members of SOD (Stop Over Development) petitioned the BOE to join them in their continued fight against the proposed development now that the three-acre donation was no longer on the table. 

Dan Conner, BOE Vice-President standing in for BOE President Darren Drake, who was not present at the meeting, said, "We believe we're big, we're mighty, we're strong and we will not wither away from this. We will continue to talk with the developer."

Polizzi told Patch that although the developer did not offer the BOE any other alternatives, he is hopeful that they can still continue having discussions with the developer regarding the development of the property and continue to have a seat at the table. 

Polizzi added that despite the fact that the donation of the field has been rescinded, the four points he addressed in his letter to the Zoning Board outlining the school district's concerns over the development of the property remain central to what the BOE is interested in--no residential development, safety of students with increased traffic, a field and a seat at the table. 

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