Government

Town Approves $98,000 Contract for Water Infiltration System in Waveny House Basement 

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Town officials last week approved an approximately $98,000 contract to remove part of the concrete floor in Waveny House’s basement in order to protect the public building against water infiltration. The historic mansion has had “some problems over the years, gradually, with water infiltrating” in the basement, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings in the New Canaan Department of Public Works. This past summer it saw two heavy rainfalls that “were severe enough where it flooded the entire basement,” he told the Board of Selectmen at its regular meeting, held Oct. 20 at Town Hall and via videoconference. Oestmann added: “What it’ll entail is actually doing an interior footing drain.

Government

Temporary Repaving of South Avenue To Start Next Tuesday

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The closely monitored, temporary repaving of South Avenue will start next Tuesday and the state wants to wrap up by Halloween, officials say. Delayed and botched by the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s contractor, the repaving of South Avenue, which doubles as state Route 124, is part of Aquarion’s yearslong, protracted water main installation from eastern New Canaan to Farm Road and South Avenue. The contractor will “come and do a two-inch mill-and-fill” on South Avenue running south to Farm Road between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “That’s the permit time,” Mann told the selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “And they’ll come out here, mill it, and fill it on a day.

Government

‘It’s a Cluster You-Know-What’: Route 106 Repaving at Silvermine-Canoe Hill To Start Wednesday

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Town officials on Tuesday warned residents to avoid the area of Route 106/Silvermine Road between Canoe Hill and Valley Roads as the frequently delayed repaving of that state road gets underway this week. The paving has already been “delayed twice,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “They’re going to start Wednesday,” he told the Board of Selectmen at its regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. Mann continued: “They say it’s four weeks. I’m saying it’s six weeks, because it’s a monster amount of work that has to be done, and I would tell the residents to just avoid the area.

Government

Town Approves Contracts for New Lampposts at Center School Lot

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The Board of Selectmen during its most recent meeting approved a $97,743 contract with a Norwalk-based company for 23 new lampposts and fixtures for the Center School Lot that serves New Canaan Library. The town will re-use existing footings for lampposts in the busy lot while switching to a softer LED light that uses less voltage, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings in the Department of Public Works. “We’re not going to dig up the parking lot,” he said at the Board’s meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. Oestmann continued: “We’re going to actually go to the left and to the right of the entrance—so right across the library, where the lights end—we’re going continue from there and go right around the perimeter, put the new footings in, and then pull all the wiring.”

The wiring will go “through the grass,” Oestmann said, “so we’re not going to rip up any asphalt.”

The town also will be able to use existing conduits for the two “islands” in the lot. First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the contract with F&M Electric Supply for 19 single and four twin lampposts.

Government

Town To Redo East Avenue Sidewalks; Seeking State Grant on Estimated $1 Million Project

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Town officials on Tuesday approved funds to kickstart improvements to the deteriorating East Avenue sidewalk that runs from downtown New Canaan to Route 123. The Board of Selectmen during its regular meeting voted unanimously in favor of a $16,500 contract with a Hartford-based engineering firm to prepare design documents for a state grant in what is expected to be an overall $1 million project that “entails the proposed enhancements to the existing sidewalk to address improved width, surface material and safety for the pedestrian,” Town Engineer Maria Coplit told the Board. 

“The current asphalt sidewalks are deteriorating and in need of replacement,” she said at the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. If the town is able to secure a Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program or “LOTCIP” grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the all-in cost to the municipality for the work is expected to be about $100,000, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. The figure includes the contract with Fuss & O’Neill as well as survey and engineering work on East Avenue, he said. The selectmen agreed that the work is needed.