Yes to the monastery development. Yes to the $5 million bond for athletic fields. Yes to the school and municipal budgets totaling more than $95 million.

Barrington taxpayers approved nearly all of the budget items during Wednesday night’s Financial Town Meeting, which was held inside the Barrington High School gymnasium. 

The closest vote appeared to be for the monastery development. More than a dozen people shared their thoughts about the project — the seven-acre property that had been home to the Carmelite nuns for more than 50 years will be used mostly for housing. The town is partnering with a developer to build a pocket neighborhood that will feature 12 cottage-style units; five of the units will be deemed affordable and the other seven will be sold at market rate. The town will also sell six single-family house lots, and turn about two acres of the land into a public park.

Many neighbors support the plan. Dave Butera, whose property abuts the land to the north, said he believes the plan is the best that residents could hope for. He believes each of the single-family house lots will sell for more than $600,000 and that will help Barrington recoup most of its investment. He said the project will help increase the tax base for the town. 

Other residents said there is a need for affordable housing and senior housing. But a handful of Barrington taxpayers asked if existing Barrington seniors would have “dibs” on the senior, age-restricted (55-and-older) cottage units.

An attorney for the town explained that some restrictions could be placed on the cottages that are deed-restricted, but not the market rate units. 

Mary Alyce Gasbarro, a longtime resident who formerly served on the Barrington Town Council, estimated that the market rate cottages would sell for about $750,000 each. 

Some taxpayers also questioned why the town would sell the 1.56 acres to the developer for $1 when he will be able to sell those market rate units for a significant profit. 

One resident suggested that the town make some changes to the agreement with the developer, Middletown-based FJS Associates. He said the town could include a stipulation capping the profit margin for the pocket neighborhood development. 

Barrington Town Moderator Richard Staples called for a vote once everyone had shared their comments. The voice vote passed, but not by a loud margin.

Fields bond

More than half the people who attended the FTM walked out of the gym at the end of the monastery vote. The exodus was so large that Council President Carl Kustell asked people to stay put so the rest of the meeting would not have to be delayed. 

Fewer people spoke about the fields, and the discussion did not run as long as the one for the monastery. In the end, residents approved the $5 million bond, although some people wanted more details about how the money would be used. 

Council member Rob Humm explained that there will be a question on the November ballot asking residents to approve the construction of synthetic turf fields at the middle school. 

Barrington resident Kevin Fitta said he supported the work being done to improve athletic fields in town, but he wanted to know if other work was planned should the turf question fail. Officials said there would be time to discuss the details before the November vote. 

In the end, the $5 million bond passed.

Motion withdrawn

The only item to receive a “No” vote during Wednesday night’s Financial Town Meeting was a motion by longtime resident Tom Rimoshytus, who asked that an account holding $500,000 for affordable housing be eliminated and the money be moved into a line item for fields. 

Following that vote, residents approved the $65.6 million school operating budget and the $21.9 million municipal operating budget. 

Taxpayers also voted Mike Raia and James Sanderson onto the Committee on Appropriations, filling vacancies left by Stephen Primiano and Bill DeWitt.