FINANCIAL BUSINESS REQUEST (FBR)
Motion/Request:
title
MOTION to grant a Bid Waiver to Kent & Frost of Mystic CT in the amount of up to $112,000 for the next phase of the Tri-Town Trail project, due to the lack of receiving the required three bids in accordance with Ordinance #200-001 (rev 1) “An Ordinance for Purchasing.
end
Background:
The RFP (#2023-05) was published in mid-October 2022 with a response date of November 3, 2022.
Only one response was received from Kent & Frost.
Kent & Frost were the consultants for the 1st Phase of the project (Northern Section of the Trail).
The project is being funded through a DEEP Recreational Trails Program Grant. See Attached RFP document and Bid Response Sheet.
Department Comment/Recommendation:
Finance Director Comment/Recommendation:
In October of 2021, the Council authorized the Mayor to submit a CT Recreational Trail Grant for the planning and design work for the Tri-Town Trail in the amount of up-to $140,000. In addition, the Council authorized to the Town to provide a 20% local funding match. Funding source to be determined contingent upon the approval of the grant application.
The grant was awarded, and a contract has been executed. The is in the amount of $112,000 and covers the period 7/29/22 through 7/20/2024.
Mayor Comment/Recommendation:
(type text here)
Meeting Action Detail:
Town Council Meeting 12/14/2022:
File #: 22828 Version: 1
Type: Financial Business Request (FBR)
Title: MOTION to grant a Bid Waiver to Kent & Frost of Mystic CT in the amount of up to $112,000 for the next phase of the Tri-Town Trail project, due to the lack of receiving the required three bids in accordance with Ordinance #200-001 (rev 1) “An Ordinance for Purchasing.
Moved: Saums Seconded: Ingalls
Action: Approved and so Declared
Minute Note:
Moved by Councilor Saums, seconded by Councilor Ingalls
Discussion: Councilor Saums stated the town received a State of Connecticut DEEP Recreational Trails Program Grant in the amount of $112,000 for the design and engineering work for the next 2-mile phase of the Tri-Town Trail, which would extend the existing trail from the Northern Section in Preston/Ledyard to Bluff Point in Groton and would include the construction of two parking lots. He stated in response to the Request for Proposals (RFP #2023-05) that only one bid was received from Kent + Frost, who was the Landscape Engineers who did the prior work on the trail.
Councilor Saums went on to state that this work would include identifying multiple potential trail routes that would be evaluated by the Town and the Tri-Town Trail Association to determine the greatest suitability. He stated this DEEP Grant could be used for the engineering and design work to continue the trail; or for the maintenance of the existing trail. Therefore, he stated the Town does not want the Tri-Town Trail Association to spend this grant funding on engineering and designing the trail over property where it clearly could not go, and/or where property owners did not want the trail to pass over their property. He stated that this would be a challenge, and he noted as an example Mr. Holdridge’s comments earlier this evening regarding public access through the Groton Reservoir. However, he stated that they had new hope that there may be a way to get the trail through to Route 214.
Councilor Saums continued by explaining that some local funding would be required, and that in-kind services could be used as the town’s local contribution. He stated the two gravel parking lots (one across from the Preston Plains Park and one by the Clark Farm) that Eversource would be constructing would qualify as the town’s local contribution to obtain the $112,000 grant funding. He went on to note in exchange for closing the Tri-Town Trail until Spring 2023, for Eversouce to work on the High-Tension Transmission Line, that Eversource would be constructing the two parking lots. He stated because Eversource would be operating large excavators and other equipment on-site that it was in the best interest and safety of the residents to close the Tri-Town Trail during the transmission line work.
VOTE: 8 - 0 Approved and so declared
Action: Approved and so Declared
____________________________________________________________________________
Finance Committee Meeting 12/7/2022:
File #: 22828 Version: 1
Type: Financial Business Request (FBR)
Title: MOTION to grant a Bid Waiver to Kent & Frost of Mystic CT in the amount of up to $112,000 for the next phase of the Tri-Town Trail project, due to the lack of receiving the required three bids in accordance with Ordinance #200-001 (rev 1) “An Ordinance for Purchasing.
Moved: Ryan Seconded: Ingalls
Action: Recommend to Approve
Minute Note:
Mayor Allyn, III, stated the town received a State of Connecticut DEEP Recreational Trails Program Grant in the amount of $112,000 for the design and engineering work for the next 2-mile phase of the Tri-Town Trail which would extend the existing trail from the Northern Section in Preston/Ledyard to Bluff Point in Groton and would include the construction of two parking lots. He stated in response to the Request for Proposals (RFP #2023-05) that only one bid was received from Kent + Frost, who was the Landscape Engineers who did the prior work on the trail.
Mayor Allyn went on to explain that this work would include identifying multiple potential trail routes that would be evaluated by the Town and Tri Town Trail Association to determine the greatest suitability. He stated this DEEP Grant could be used for the engineering and design work to continue the trail or for the maintenance of the existing trail. Therefore, he stated that he has advised the Tri-Town Trail Association not to spend this grant funding on engineering and designing the trail over property where it clearly could not go, and/or where property owners did not want the trail to pass over their property. He stated the Tri-Town Trail Association has looked at multiple options for the trail route, which included taking the trail closer to Avery Hill Road; possibly taking the trail thru land owned by the Avalonia Land Conservancy, and to Stoddards Hill State Park, which would have that leg of the trail terminate at the Thames River. However, he stated the Tri-Town Trail Association had their heart set on getting to Bluff Point, but that this would require the trail to travers through a large piece of private property. He continued by stating Town Planner/Land Use Director Juliet Hodge participates in the Tri-Town Trail Association meetings and that she was aware of his position not to spend this grant money designing the trail where it could not go. Therefore, he stated based on the options he noted earlier, that they were confident that the trail could be constructed thru a number of other existing parcels, that would not take a lot of work.
Councilor Ryan questioned the funding source for the local contribution. Mayor Allyn stated in-kind services could be used as the local contribution and he explained the two gravel parking lots (one across from the Preston Plains Park and one by the Clark Farm) that Eversource was constructing would qualify as their local contribution to obtain the $112,000 grant funding. He explained in-exchange for closing the Tri-Town Trail until Spring 2023, for Eversouce to work on the High-Tension Transmission Line, that Eversource would be constructing the two parking lots. He stated because Eversource would be operating large excavators and other equipment on-site that it was in the best interest and safety of the residents to close the Tri-Town Trail during the transmission line work.
VOTE: 3- 0 Approved and so declared
Action: Recommend to Approve