August 15, 2007Officials urge: Think twice before ending Tilcon deal
By: RICK GUINNESS, Herald Staff
NEW BRITAIN - Tilcon President Rick Mergens met with Mayor Timothy Stewart on Tuesday to try to figure out why anyone would want to "tank" a land swap that would give the city more land, more water and $15 million in exchange for a 130-acre city-owned parcel in Plainville that would be ideal for Tilcon's gravel mining.Obviously, people didn't understand the deal, they reasoned. But when Stewart tried to explain it to a group of residents at a Hickory Hill neighborhood gathering last week, he and state Rep. Tim O'Brien and state Sen. Donald DeFronzo were confronted by an angry crowd. The residents said they were angry because their houses were vibrating whenever Tilcon, which mines rock for its concrete products, blasted. And the woman who organized the meeting, block watch leader Marilyn Slate, was railing against the deal Sunday at a Democratic fundraiser - where mayoral challenger Jim Wyskiewicz, a Democrat, immediately added "Hickory Hill" as one his campaign issues.
She said she is worried about the value of her house.
When asked about that Tuesday, Mergens noted the quarry has been in operation there for many years - that it's not like people bought homes and suddenly discovered a quarry operation was moving in next door.
Most of the residents who turned out last week at the Hickory Hill event said they had one main complaint: No had talked to them about Tilcon before passage of the law allowing the city to swap 130 acres of its watershed property in Plainville for 95 acres of open space and $15 million.
No one at last week's meeting seemed to realize Tilcon was planning to give New Britain the 95 acres, and that the new law requires a 1,000-foot forested buffer around the perimeter of the proposed quarry, as well as improved flood control in the west canal. There has been flooding in New Britain neighborhoods neighboring the Tilcon land in Plainville. That would be resolved if the Tilcon deal goes through, the officials said.
This should not be a political issue, Mergens and Stewart said. Already the Democrats have tried to make political hay out of it, with DeFronzo and O'Brien promising to repeal the legislation they themselves crafted. "It was good legislation," Stewart said. "It totally appreciate their Herculean effort. These guys did a yeoman's job getting it through at the state Capitol. For them to consider repealing it at this time is not the right thing to do."
Without the legislation that allowed municipalities to trade watershed property, there could be no official deal - just an idea. The law didn't pass until last month. So there was no way to begin hammering out a deal between Tilcon and New Britain. Southington and Plainville would stand to benefit as well, under the proposal, which is still not finalized.
Before any deal could go through there would have to be three public hearings - one in New Britain, one in Plainville and one in Southington. In addition, the contract would have to go through the Inland Wetlands Commission of each community, the City Plan Commission of New Britain and the Planning and Zoning Commission of Plainville.
In short, there are plenty of chances to end the deal at any one of these meetings and public hearings.
Mergens would like to see the idea go the distance, and Stewart is convinced it is the right thing for New Britain, including the Hickory Hill neighborhood.
It was Mergens who approached Stewart and Plainville town manager Robert Lee with the proposal to donate Tilcon land in exchange for mining rights. But the legislation at the time wouldn't allow any serious negotiation. So Tilcon and city officials went to the legislature, where a number of legislators insisted on having a buffer zone, public hearings and other safeguards.
"You want to talk about public participation? This is chock full of it," Mergens said. "It was good legislation. Don't tank it." If O'Brien and DeFronzo succeed in repealing their own legislation just to spite Stewart, they will be doing the public a disservice, Stewart said.
Tilcon owns about 450 acres in total and is offering to give away up to 265 acres as part of the deal - in addition to giving $15 million to the city. "We would like the opportunity to talk about our proposal," Mergens said. As for the people who feel most disadvantaged by living next to Tilcon - who are already putting up with blasting on a regular basis - he said the company would be happy to monitor the vibrations at any house having a serious problem.
Traprock conducts vibrations. And it may even feel like the house is shaking, Stewart said, having lived on a street very close to Tilcon. "I lived on Garry Drive," Stewart said. "It vibrated. It didn't do any damage."
Mergens said no one's property is being affected. "But we are looking for ways to reduce the blast vibration," he added. "No activity will come any closer [to residents' homes]."
New Britain residents who live in the Hickory Hill area can expect some relief from flooding, he said, because as it stands now, water can travel overland and pool in the west canal.
Mergens said he is planning to install a pump that would take the water out of the west canal and pump it to the New Britain reservoir.
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