Town officials on Tuesday approved about $14,000 to purchase four water fountain bottle fillers.
The Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 in favor of a contract with an Oakmont, Pa.-based company to purchase the Murdock-brand machines. Two of them will be replacement installations, at Mead Park Playground and upper trail entrance to Irwin Park, while two others will be new installations, at the New Canaan High School track and upcoming Waveny Park Playground with a nearby outdoor fitness area, according to Superintendent of Parks Ryan Restivo.
The two existing machines are about 10 to 15 years old, he said at the selectmen’s regular meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.
“The unit at Irwin Park will have a pet bowl feature on it, similar to the one that’s installed at the dog park now,” Restivo said.
First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the $13,942 contract with Equiparts Corp.
The selectmen asked whether the cost includes installation (no, and in some cases a live water tap is needed, which requires two contractors including an excavator), whether funds are allocated for the tap (yes), how long these machines should last (20 years) and whether they’ll look good (yes they’re stainless steel and in color).
Asked whether it makes sense to include the “dog bowl” feature on more than the Irwin water machine, Restivo said an ADA compliance issue arises because the dog bowl and jug fillers are on opposite sides of the machine, and a five-foot-plus berth is needed for installation.
“With that, it changes the installation and the cost of the pad itself,” Restivo said.