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Agenda Set for Old High School Hearing

Residents will be free to discuss the future of the old high school building at 200 Tyler Street during a public hearing slated for next month-but they can only talk about two potential future plans.

During a special meeting held on Aug. 23, the Town Council voted to hold the special hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 4 to discuss plans to rehabilitate the building for either educational or community purposes.

An original motion to add discussion of 200 Tyler Street to the agenda was made by council member Michael Riolino (D) at the Town Council's regular August meeting. However, proper procedure wasn't followed, according to Town Attorney Joseph Zullo, and the Town Council never voted on the hearing at that meeting.

But Democrats wanted all three options for the school building that appeared on last November's ballot to be part of the public hearing discussion. They were clearly disappointed that one option, selling the building for condominium use, was not going to be part of next month's hearing.

Former town attorney Patricia Cofrancesco has said last November's referendum was binding, however Zullo disagrees, which is one reason the town officials and residents are back to discussing the building's future.

Before last week's vote, council member Joseph Badamo (D) noted that the agenda was not reflective of Riolino's prior motion. Town Council Chairman Richard Anania (R) said that the purpose of the meeting was to just approve the date and time of the public hearing.

Zullo said that the language of the options as they appear on the hearing agenda is the same as it was on last November's ballot. He said voters rejected the choice related to condos, and that's why it is not on the public hearing agenda.

"I never heard of something [being removed from an agenda] because it was low on the totem pole," said Badamo.

"Public comment is to be on the topic of the motions being made," said Zullo.

The public will not be allowed to comment on other ideas related to the building. Anania stressed that "nothing will be voted on during the hearing."

Riolino noted that the hearing is just meant to discuss the options.

"The end goal is to do something," he said.

Democratic Town Committee Chairman Gene Ruocco said he felt that Zullo's explanation that the condo plan wasn't going to be part of the hearing discussion because that choice garnered the fewest votes from residents means that perhaps Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr., "has accepted the referendum was binding," said Ruocco. "I hope they turn around and say, 'We didn't put option C on there because you didn't want it.'"

Maturo did not attend the Town Council meeting, but the next day he reiterated his plan to convert the building to a multi-use facility that would provide senior housing, as well as enable residents to continue to use many features of the building, including the gymnasium, pool, and auditorium.

Maturo said he is glad the Town Council is holding the hearing, but that he isn't yet ready to bring his idea to the Town Council or residents, saying he wants to make sure that when the plan is discussed and people have questions, "We'll be ready to answer them," said Maturo. "Once we get our oars in the water, we will bring it to the council and the residents."

When asked when his plan will be ready for a public reveal, Maturo said he had no timetable, but added, "the sooner the better."

"Our goal is to set a path and move forward to resolve this once and for all," said Zullo.

The public hearing will be held Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at the East Haven Senior Center, 91 Taylor Avenue.