Town officials on Tuesday approved a contract with a New Canaan-based company for various repairs to sidewalks in the downtown.
Historically, the town has spent $10,000 to $20,000 for the miscellaneous repairs where the sidewalk is dipping or falling below the curb line, Public Works Director Tiger Mann told the Board of Selectmen at its regular meeting.
In the past, the work has been done periodically under $5,000 contracts, but by signing on Peter Lanni Inc. for a total project cost of $11,500 now, the town will have even more flexibility to address problems quickly.
Lanni has “done very very good work in past—he gives us a great price, and he’s available when needed, which is probably the most important,” Mann said during the meeting, held in Town Hall.
First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Kathleen Corbet and Nick Williams voted 3-0 in favor of the contract.
The selectmen asked what is the total length of sidewalks in town (just shy of 20 miles), how problems come to the town’s attention (word of mouth, residents phoning in and walkthroughs by public works officials), whether the amount covers both labor and materials (primarily labor since the bricks are fine) and whether when utility companies do road repair they also pay to fix affected sidewalks (yes).
Moynihan asked if the town addresses problems when tree limbs overhang the sidewalks and become obstructions.
Mann said yes, though the town will ask residents to address problems with long hedge lines with their own landscaper just in case there’s an issue with the work. Members of the New Canaan Beautification League and the tree warden now are walking South Avenue and noting trees that need to be pruned or limbed up because they’re grown so much that they become an obstruction to tall people on the sidewalks.