PZC wants input on proposed fitness club

The public hearing for a proposed Cardio Express fitness center in the East Brook Mall was continued for a second time Monday [Feb. 1] after planning and zoning members met with applicants and mall officials.

According to Commission Chair Rudy Favretti, the hearing was continued to allow more time for abutting property owners to voice concern or support about the proposed fitness center.

Favretti said notices to abutting landowners were sent late and therefore, they may not have been aware of their opportunity to address the commission on Monday.

No members of the public attended the last two public hearings.

The hearing will re-open Feb. 16 at the commission’s next meeting. It will be the last chance for residents to speak about the proposal.

Commission members accepted the special permit application Dec. 22 at their regular meeting.

According to the application, the fitness center would fill the space left vacant by The Hoot – which has relocated across Route 195 next to Staples.

“The existing 9,880-square-foot tenant space, formerly The Hoot, will be converted to a Cardio Express fitness club,” reads the application.

If approved for construction, the fitness club will have strength and cardio equipment, locker rooms, restrooms with showers, tanning rooms and stretching areas.

The application – which includes information from Hartford-based architectural firm Archimage Group – indicates any construction or changes to the space would be entirely within the square footage available.

The facility would be open continuously from 5 a.m. Monday to 9 p.m. Friday.

It would also be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

At peak hours of the club, 40 parking spaces would be needed to maintain operations, but that is “negligible when compared to the amount of parking provided,” the application states.

Additionally, it is estimated sewer usage would be approximately 2,862 gallons a day, which is also minimal compared to the sewer capacity at the mall, states the application.

A plan attached to the application shows there would be a front desk and sitting area to the immediate left of the club’s front entrance.

Three separate workout areas – including the strength area, free-weight area and cardio deck – will take up nearly half of the available unit.

In addition to plans, the application included weekly tallies illustrating how many people visited the Tolland club during three different one-week periods.

If the East Brook Mall location receives comparable numbers, there could be between 4,000 and 6,000 gym visitors every week.

East Brook Mall Manager John Fortier said there is no timeline regarding when the fitness center will open, but he is confident the application will eventually be approved.

According to Fortier, the application is simply to change the use of the space from a retail space to a non-retail center.

In addition to filling an empty storefront in the mall, Fortier said he is looking forward to 24-hour security in the mall where the center will be constructed.

Right now, the mall has cameras and a security system in-place for non-business hours, but if the center is open, there would be security guards in the mall all the time.

“It’s almost a benefit to us to have security there 24 hours a day,” he said, adding he “looks forward” to having the center in the mall.

Posted Feb. 2, 2010

76-year-old man falls through ice

Rescue personnel from Mansfield and Coventry fold up the ice sled that was used to save a 76-year-old man who had fallen through the ice on Eagleville Lake on Sunday afternoon. Mansfield Deputy Chief William Jordan said there was less than an inch of ice. Photo by Marie Brennan.

A 76-year-old man is lucky to be alive after plunging into icy water on Sunday afternoon.

Mansfield Fire Department Deputy Chief William Jordan said the man was attempting to ice skate with his wife on Eagleville Lake when he fell into the water.

Eagleville Lake is actually part of the Willimantic River.

The ice was less than an inch thick at the time, said Mansfield Fire Department Deputy Chief William Jordan.

At approximately 3:50 p.m., Jordan and others from the Mansfield Fire Department and South Coventry Fire Department responded to the call.

Jordan said the entire rescue took 14 minutes from the time the 911 call was placed by the man’s wife to when the man was pulled from the water.

The man – who officials declined to name – had been in the water approximately two minutes before 911 rescuers were called, said Jordan.

“Two rescuers in cold water suits went out,” said Jordan. And an “ice sled” – a raft-like device utilized by rescuers in ice emergencies – was used.

The man’s wife was unhurt, but rescuers quickly removed her from the ice to avoid a potential second rescue.

The man began to suffer the early stages of hypothermia at the scene, said Jordan. He was transported to Windham Community Memorial Hospital and then later transported to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford via Life Star, said Jordan.

As of Monday morning, the man was in stable condition, talking and coherent, he said.

Due to the quick response, the man was saved from serious injury or death, said Jordan. “The longer he stayed in there, the hypothermia starts to shut down the body,” said he said.

Jordan said the man’s decision for a late January skate was a “bad judgment call” and that people need to be aware of ice thickness before stepping onto frozen water.

Jordan said the ice was thin Sunday because recent weather temperatures – which had been in the upper 40s – and heavy downpours had led to the ice becoming thin and unsafe. “These are things that need to be taken into consideration,” he said.

And because it is part of the Willimantic River, the Eagleville Lake never truly freezes because water beneath the top ice surface is still moving with the current.

Posted Feb. 2, 2010

Editor’s note: for some good information about staying safe on the ice, see “How to Survive,” posted in Mansfield Today on Jan. 24, 2010.  http://mansfield.htnp.com/2010/01/24/how-to-survive/

Gov. Rell proposes safeguards for ‘Rainy Day Fund,’ expansion of authority to cut budget

Gov. M. Jodi Rell today [Feb. 2, 2010] announced that her budget proposals include wide-ranging fiscal reforms intended to safeguard the state’s “Rainy Day Fund,” cut down on borrowing and reduce the amount of debt that is burdening the state – including the debt attributable to underfunded state employee pensions and health benefit plans.

The announcement comes the day before Gov. Rell is scheduled to deliver her State of the State address.

“Fiscal responsibility is rooted in common sense,” Gov. Rell said today. “Simply put, state government cannot – and must not – spend what it does not have. The far-reaching and devastating effects of the national recession laid bare areas of our budget process that must be strengthened and improved to ensure that Connecticut can weather this economic downturn.”

“The changes I am proposing would require contributions to the ‘Rainy Day’ fund throughout the fiscal year, based on surplus projections from the Comptroller,” Gov. Rell said.

“I am also proposing legislation that would address the timeliness of bonding,” Gov. Rell said. “Any bonding item that languishes for five years without ever being approved by the state Bond Commission will be automatically dropped from the list of authorized projects. This will ensure that Connecticut borrows [for] only the most urgently needed projects and will restore our credit rating to a robust status.”

Also, “Through an Executive Order, I am establishing a broad-based commission of state and union officials, financial experts and business leaders to remedy the growing debt caused by years of under-funding state employee retirement and health benefit plans,” Gov. Rell said.

She also restated her intent to extend the governor’s authority to alter the state budget.

“I am reiterating my call to give not just this governor but all who will follow me expanded authority to make budget rescissions. The budget process must remain a balanced process among all three branches of government – but there must also be provisions to restore that balance in extreme circumstances, such as those we have experienced over the last two years.”

The proposed “expanded authority” would change the governor’s role in the following ways:

The “Rainy Day” fund

If the state Comptroller projects a budget surplus for the current fiscal year and the Budget Reserve Fund – the “Rainy Day Fund” (RDF) – is less than 10 percent of the General Fund appropriations for the year, then at least half of the surplus must be deposited into the RDF within five days of the Comptroller’s estimate.

Once the RDF reaches 10 percent of the General Fund, any surplus must be deposited into the State Employees Retirement Fund, which is currently under-funded by $9.3 billion – or to pay down debt.

An ‘expiration date’ on bonded projects

Any specific bonding item authorized for funding by general obligation bonds of the state shall expire five years after the effective date of its authorization if no amount has been allocated by the State Bond Commission.

If the commission has allocated any portion of the money during that period, then the entire authorization will proceed unless terminated by law.

Pension and benefit plans

The State Employees Retirement System is currently under-funded by $9.3 billion; the State Employees Post Retirement Health and Life Benefits are $24.6 billion under-funded.

The unfunded liability is considered debt and has negative impact on the state’s position with bond rating agencies.

The Post-Employment Benefits Commission, established by Executive Order, will recommend short- and long-term remedies. It will include representatives from:

* Office of the Treasurer

* Office of the Comptroller

* Office of Policy and Management

* Office of Labor Relations

* State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition

* Certified public accountants and actuaries

* The business community

All appointments are to be made by Feb. 15, 2010. The Commission will deliver its first report to the Governor on or before July 1, 2010.

Governor’s rescission authority

Under existing law, a governor can make rescissions [cuts] when a budget deficit greater than 1 percent of the General Fund exists.

Current rescission authority is limited to up to 3 percent of the total appropriation from any fund or 5 percent of any appropriation.

Gov. Rell proposes that a governor’s rescission authority be increased incrementally:

* Up to 6 percent of the total appropriation from any fund or 10 percent of any appropriation when a deficit of 3 percent or more exists

* Up to 10 percent of the total appropriation from any fund or 15 percent of any appropriation when a deficit of 5 percent or more exists

The rescissions statute does not allow a governor to cut aid to municipalities.

In addition, as a practical matter, a governor may not cut appropriations for entitlement programs or pension and health benefits for state employees and retirees – expenditures that comprise much of the budget.

Posted Feb. 2, 2010