ANSONIA – A consultant overseeing the renovation of the animal shelter told the Board of Aldermen he doesn’t know how long the project will be delayed because of drainage issues.
During an Aldermen meeting Sept. 9, consultant Michael Marcinek of AEPM International (formerly Fletcher Thompson Inc.) said that contractors were delayed after encountering issues with the sanitary lines. He said there were issues with the architectural drawings prepared for the project as well, which added to delays.
Ansonia officials interviewed in a Sept. 5 Connecticut Post article said the renovation would be completed by the end of the year. However, that goal was not repeated during the Aldermen meeting.
Two Aldermen questioned Marcinek about the project timeline, which he on previous occasions said could wrap up by October. Alderwoman Bobbi Tar asked for a new completion date.
Marcinek said he would need to revise the original schedule but declined to provide a new completion date at the meeting.
On Sept. 23, the City of Ansonia Facebook page posted an update on the work’s progress. According to that post, city officials expect masonry walls and trusses to go up next week (by Oct. 3).
The animal shelter renovation has been in the works since 2023, when voters approved $1.1 million in borrowing as part of a larger borrowing package. Marcinek’s firm is overseeing the project, while contractor Kafa Group is doing work on-site.
The funding for the project, estimated to cost between $1.3 million and $1.7 million total, also uses $500,000 from a state grant secured by state Rep. Kara Rochelle last year.
The project started work in June but encountered issues early during the excavation process. The contractors hit asphalt on two separate occasions, according to statements in past Aldermen meetings, which slowed the excavation work.
Marcinek said in the Sept. 9 meeting that he hopes to have walls and roofing material up within four weeks, as well as new windows and kennels installed.
“Right now we’re at a point where we’re fixing the drains and the sanitary lines that were in,” Marcinek said.
Alderman Tony Mammone said he was frustrated with the delays in the project.
“When we had talked there was sentiments of ‘immediately,’ ‘priority.’ You had a conversation with the contractor, they were gonna be on site, there was gonna be a presence. There hasn’t been any of that, Mike,” Mammone said.
Mammone said he was considering putting forward a motion to cancel the city’s contract with Marcinek’s firm. He said he had photos showing only one person on the site at a time, when he said there should be more.
Marcinek said adding more workers to the site wouldn’t do anything. He said the work can only be done one step at a time.
“We can’t get the masonry going until we get the slab down. And we can’t get the slab down until we get the plumbers done. So it’s not like we can get multiple trades in there at the same time,” Marcinek said.
No action was taken at the meeting.
The Ansonia Board of Aldermen has been receiving monthly updates on the project from Marcinek and former economic development director Sheila O’Malley since June. Their next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14.
Marcinek, a Seymour businessman with a long history of Valley projects, is also currently facing prosecution over an alleged failure to pay employees and contractors at his business. He has not entered a plea on the criminal charges. His next court date is Oct. 2, according to the state judicial website.