The town last month approved a $38,500 contract to hire a Shelton-based company as construction manager on a multi-part project to improve Dunning Stadium.
The Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of the contract with Turner Construction, which also will provide a guaranteed maximum price or “GMP” under the agreement, with both the town and New Canaan Athletic Foundation.
“That was one of the concerns or one of the recommendations or requests from the Board of Finance and the Town Council when we went forward for the funding itself,” Public Works Director Tiger Mann told the selectmen during their Aug. 15 special meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.
“We have mirrored exactly what happened at the Police Department,” Mann said. “So the Police Department Building Committee vetted a number of construction managers, selected Turner, and then went through the process of contracting with Turner. So we mirrored that entire process with Turner. They’ve come back with an initial cost to help us with pre-construction services through the establishment of the GMP and the start of construction.”
First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Kathleen Corbet and Nick Williams voted in favor of the contract.
The project at Dunning will entail the installation of a new entranceway and donor wall and the construction of a new press box, officials say.
It’s unclear just when work will start. Mann said during the meeting that Turner has “already given us a construction schedule or a preliminary construction schedule that we’re vetting right now, and they’re working towards the bidding process to get us the guaranteed maximum price for this phase one portion.”
Moynihan said that the town is “likely to have a contract in two weeks for the project” and referred to the Board’s Sept. 5 meeting, however, the selectmen’s agenda for that meeting makes no reference to the Dunning Stadium work.
In May, the selectmen approved contracts totaling $217,650 with three design and engineering firms to prepare construction documents for the work at Dunning. Those funds were to be paid for out of an annual town contribution of $300,000 for the NCAF, officials said.
Moynihan noted during the meeting that Turner Construction not only was chosen by the appointed body overseeing the Police Department renovation but also built the celebrated new New Canaan Library. Turner also has established “relationships with trades that are very beneficial,” he said.
“We’re using Turner again,” Moynihan said. “Because we think they’re doing such a great job with the Police Department.”