Amy Murphy Carroll

‘That Just Wasn’t Honest’: Selectmen Call for Full Accounting of Delayed Waveny Elevator Project

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Saying delays and cost overruns on the Waveny House elevator project are unacceptable, members of the Board of Selectmen this week called for more transparency from Public Works officials, a specific number for how much it has already cost and regular updates on the widely anticipated installation. 

Everyone is “frustrated” with the project, described as being on track for completion this month then just one week later pushed out to July-August, Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll noted. “I’m incredibly frustrated with this, because since I was on the Board of Selectmen and I have asked at least once a month, ‘Where are we in the elevator? Are we okay? Are we on time?’ ” Murphy Carroll told DPW Buildings Superintendent Bill Oestmann during the regular selectmen meeting held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Two weeks ago, we were told to be done by the end of April,” Murphy Carroll continued.

Government

Town Approves $27,000 Contract for Playground Repairs at Kiwanis

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The Board of Selectmen at its most recent meeting approved a $27,000 contract with a Mamaroneck, N.Y.-based company to repair playground equipment at an Old Norwalk Road park. The repairs to the Kiwanis Park playground are in line with “a recent inspection report as a part of our annual playground inspection program,” according to Superintendent of Parks Ryan Restivo. “Funding for this work is available within the Parks [Department’s] capital budget,” Restivo told the selectmen at their April 7 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “If approved, the work will begin as soon as possible.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the contract with Pat Corsetti Inc.

The selectmen asked whether the company’s bid included work at Mead and Dixon Parks (yes), whether the other parks are getting done (in the new fiscal year, yes, minor repairs at those parks), where are the quotes for those projects (the company separated them out) and how old the equipment at Kiwanis is (about 20 years). 

Murphy Carroll noted that once they’re in place, playgrounds are a cost in that they need maintenance and must be updated as required by law. Karl said, “Obviously, you’ve got to have these playgrounds safe and I applaud the idea that we’re going out there and looking at this stuff, because we’ve let some of the playgrounds over the years go a little bit, and this is something that we should be doing every year.”

Parks & Recreation Director John Howe noted that the playgrounds are inspected every year. 

Government

OSHA Cites Issue at WWTP, Town Approves Funds for Pump Safety Guards

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Officials last week approved an approximately $17,500 contract with a Bridgeport-based company to create guards for a town facility after federal inspectors identified a safety issue. Last month, representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration walked through Department of Public Works buildings, as well as Town Hall and the newly renovated New Canaan Police Department—the first time that OSHA came for such an inspection since 2017, according to DPW officials. While in the Waste Water Treatment Plant, an inspector found that eight pumps showing about two inches of exposed, slow-spinning drive shaft on each side of the motor represent “a safety hazard,” according to Bill Oestmann, DPW’s superintendent of buildings. 

“And they say because it’s an exposed shaft it should be covered,” Oestmann told members of the Board of Selectmen at their April 7 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. The pumps, which are bolted to the floor in a lightly trafficked area of the plant, have been in place for more than 25 years “and they’ve been running with no problem, but OSHA felt that they needed some safety guards on these pumps,” he said. The Board—First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll—voted 3-0 in favor of DPW’s request to enter into a $17,600 contract with Hard Corps Iron Works to create those guards, which Oestmann described as a “kind of safety cage” that still will allow for repairs. 

Public Works Director Tiger Mann noted that “at the time of the installation it wasn’t determined we needed it because we asked the question at the time.”

The selectmen asked what kind of accident OSHA foresaw (someone’s clothing or very long hair perhaps getting caught), what is the height of the pumps (ground level), how often inspections happen (every five to seven years), where the funds are coming from (sewer fund contingency) and whether Board of Finance approval is needed (yes, received later on Tuesday).

Board of Selectmen

Town Approves Contract To Repave Dunning Road, Gerrish Lane and Part of Summer Street

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Town officials on Tuesday approved an approximately $290,000 contract to repave three New Canaan roads. 

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to approve a contract for the repaving of Dunning Road, Gerrish Lane and the southern half of Summer Street, between Lakeview and East Avenues. 

The work will be paid for by Aquarion, which broke up the roads while installing water mains last year, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. The contractor is expected to do the work in May “right after these parking lots here,” Mann told the selectmen at their regular meeting, referring to the Park Street and Playhouse Lots (a month-long job expected to start April 15), as well as the long-awaited repaving of Pine Street. “Once he [the contractor] mobilizes, he wants to stay, finish what he’s got,” Mann said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Once we get this, I’ll talk to him about his timing.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 to approve the $293,650 contract with Norwalk-based FGB Construction. The Board asked whether Aquarion’s check to the town will include $26,500 in contingency funds built into the project estimate (the plan was to bill for $267,150 and have the water company hold the contingency), whether the transactions could be set up so that the contingency fee is set aside separately, such as in escrow, and then Aquarion is reimbursed for anything left over (yes) and whether the three roads in question have any striping (no, just stop bars).

Government

Price for Pass to July 4th Fireworks Up $5 to $40

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Town officials last week approved a modest increase to the price of a family pass to the New Canaan Fireworks set for Saturday, July 4. The new price, $40, is for those purchasing their passes early (up from $35) and it will cost $50 to buy a pass on the day of the picnic and fireworks show at Waveny. “This entrance pass has been in place for—I’ve gone back through the records that Tom [Stadler] has provided me for 10 years and our costs have gone up and I think it’s time that we at least increase the price from $35 to $40,” New Canaan Fireworks Committee Chair David Shea told members of the Board of Selectmen during their March 17 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “On the day of, it will go up to $50. So buy your passes early.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the increase. 

The passes generally are used on a per-vehicle basis for those driving into Waveny for the fireworks, or on a per-group basis for those walking in, officials said.