CORRECTION: The initial version of this story used outdated bid information from a March 31 meeting. The city issued new bid documents on April 10. The city sent the new material to The Valley Indy on May 22. This story has been revised to include the updated information.
ANSONIA – Members of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen voted May 13 to authorize an $8 million plan to renovate Nolan Field this summer.
The 10 – 1 vote to approve a bid from FieldTurf comes after a school building commission voted to recommend it in March.
FieldTurf’s bid also includes options for additional add-ons that the city could choose at a later date, which would drive the cost up. Ansonia voters approved up to $10.2 million in borrowing for the project in 2023.
FieldTurf’s $7,989,680 plan includes the installation of turf for the football field, turf for two baseball fields and a soccer field, an additional grass baseball field, three concrete tennis courts, new dugouts, and a new surface for the basketball court.
The plan was also updated to include batting cages at the baseball and softball fields, a new scoreboard at the soccer field, a new bathroom building, renovations to the field house, and additional ADA seating, according to FieldTurf’s bid document.
Potential add-ons include safety netting installation ($55,000), bringing the power lines below grade ($255,000), an additional basketball court ($200,000), and an additional tennis court ($165,000).
Alderman Joseph Jaumann said that the project has been needed since he first joined the Board of Aldermen in 2017.
“This is one of the things that our city needs. This isn’t really a want, per se. These fields need to be updated. This has been a discussion since I’ve been on the board,” Jaumann said.
Alderman Joseph Jeanette, Jr. also said the upgrades are needed.
“I’ve taken rides by those fields numerous times and I’m sorry but, you look at other towns and you see what they have for the kids, and you almost get jealous,” Jeanette said. “Our kids (have) got to play on what is there now, and I don’t think it’s fair to our youth or even adults to see what’s up there and what they have to play with.”
Alderman Tony Mammone – the lone vote against the project – said he was concerned about the financial impact of the project. He said it doesn’t make sense to go forward after voters overwhelmingly rejected two proposed budgets from the city (a third vote is scheduled for Friday).
“Based on the current state of the budget and what residents are saying, I think it’s a bit tone-deaf for us to move forward with that for now,” Mammone said.
Alderwoman Bobbi Tar voiced similar concerns, and abstained from voting. She said the Aldermen should delay the vote until after the city has a clearer idea of what next year’s budget will be.
“I just think we need to have a little clarity as to where we’re going to land,” Tar said.
Jaumann said the city’s budget will be making cuts in other areas. He said it makes sense to move forward with the project now, since voters previously approved the money.
“It’s something that is going to have to be dealt with in budgets to come, but I don’t think it necessarily impacts this budget,” Jaumann said.
City budget director Kurt Miller also said the financial impacts from the project won’t hit the city for another year.
“Once you get into the true principal and interest payments, yeah, you’re going to be looking at a sizable amount a year, north of a million dollars. But in these first couple years, it just depends how the deal is structured,” Miller said.
Miller said the payments in the first couple of years would range between $100,000 and $1,000,000.
The city first went out to bid in February. The bid specifications at the time were meant to be the first step in a multi-stage process. The specifications asked for Nolan Field to be turfed over the summer.
FieldTurf’s bid was the highest out of ten firms that submitted bids. However, it also went beyond the bid specs – including renovations that the city originally planned to go back out to bid for at a later date.
The low bid was a combined bid from DeRita & Sons Construction to do site prep work, plus Sprinturf to install new turf. That bid came in at $5.7 million.
After the school building commission voted to recommend FieldTurf’s bid, the city went back out to bid with new specs to include the expanded scope of work. No new bids came in.
The deadline for the baseball/football field work to be completed is Aug. 15, according to the bid specifications the city sent out.
Ten Aldermen voted in favor of approving FieldTurf’s bid. Mammone voted against, Tar abstained, and Aldermen Joshua Shuart and Steven Adamowski were not present during the meeting.