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Master Plan Group Sticks By First Choice

After weeks of controversy following the loss of two members, the committee working on a downtown master plan reaffirmed its desire to work with the company originally chosen. Neil Budnick, Christine Wagner and Penny Rashin, members of the Town Center Planning Group, voted Monday to reaffirm their selection of Perkins Eastman Associates to develop the first phase of a master plan.

The vote came after an executive session to discuss the project's possible costs. Wagner, the group's chairwoman, said they believe Perkins Eastman is best suited to work on the project, which could determine the future of several downtown buildings.

"Because of the quality of the people we will have, we think this is still the firm we want to go with," Wagner said.

The Board of Finance voted last month to authorize the planners to spend no more than $25,000 for the first phase of a master plan, but it wanted the group to speak with three other firms it had interviewed to get a more thorough review of what they could offer. First Selectman Jeb Walker must still sign off of a contract.

Wagner said a full master plan and other infrastructure reviews would cost $150,000 to $200,000. Wagner declined to discuss specific costs because the contract is under negotiation. "Only because it's still open, it would not be appropriate to discuss the numbers," she said.

Wagner will discuss those figures at a special Board of Selectmen meeting Oct. 12. The selectmen are also expected to decide whether builder Arnold Karp will fill one of two vacancies on the committee. Michael Hobbs and Jim Beall resigned last month, in part because of personal attacks from residents opposed to the master plan.

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