Photo from the City of Ansonia Facebook page
ANSONIA — The Ansonia Board of Aldermen held its monthly meeting Dec. 12. Here’s a few highlights:
Fire Trucks Ordered, Long Wait To Arrive
* The board unanimously voted to authorize the Ansonia Fire Department to order three new firetrucks, and to waive the bidding process. The firetrucks‑a rescue truck ($1.5 million), a ladder truck ($2.5 million) and an engine truck ($1.2 million)-were part of an overall $10.8 million public safety improvement package that voters approved on Nov. 7.
A ton of citywide improvements were actually part of a much larger, $132.6 million package in borrowing that voters approved Nov. 7. The board’s vote on Dec. 12 was necessary to allow the fire department to get the trucks in the ordering process, since they’re going to take some 36 – 44 months before they’re on the road, according to Aldermanic President Josh Shuart.
Waiving the bidding process, board members said, was necessary to get the trucks ordered before any price increases take effect early next year.
Assistant Fire Chief Anthony DeLucia expressed his gratitude to both residents and city officials for agreeing to replace the aging and outdated fire apparatus.
“It’s a huge chunk of money but the volunteers deserve it, the city deserves it and the community deserves it,” DeLucia said.
The city’s budget director, Kurt Miller said the city will face price increases if the ordering process doesn’t get into motion.
“We need to order the ladder truck by the end of December, or we’ll pay tens of thousands of dollars more for the same vehicle with the price increases slated to go into effect January 1,” Miller told the board.
Miller said the city will do its due diligence in identifying the best way to fund the fire trucks, be it bonding, lease purchase or other method.
“We have not finalized funding sources yet for these, and we’ll spend the next several months exploring several options, including bonding or lease purchases, and we’ll report back to board to make the decision.”
WPCA Is For Sale
* The board authorized the city to send out RFQ’s, or Requests for Qualifications, for firms interested in purchasing the city-owned wastewater treatment plant on North Division Street. Corporation Counsel John Marini said the city already received favorable opinions from the city’s Planning and Zoning, Conservation and Park and Recreation commissions on a potential sale, a public hearing was held in August and an appraisal has been done. The property has been valued at $54 million according to an appraisal done in October by ScottMadden Inc., based in Framingham, Mass.
Marini said putting out the RFQ’s is the beginning step in the process and the city is “actually a long way from considering a sale offer.”
“Ansonia’s plant is 15 years old and that comes with an ever-increasing cost to our taxpayers,” Marini told the Valley Indy via an email. “We believe it may be more cost effective to privatize/regionalize the wastewater treatment plant. It’s certainly worth exploring.”
Here’s the legal notice the city sent out last week:
“The City of Ansonia is seeking to enter into an agreement with a qualified firm to purchase, upgrade and maintain the City of Ansonia Wastewater Assets. The City reserves the right to choose one or more firms and to reject any and all proposals depending upon the quality of submittals received.
The City is entertaining proposals from firms with complete capabilities meeting the requirements in the specifications. A copy of the requirements needed along with a copy of the current appraisal can be obtained on our website at www.cityofansonia.com or via email to Diana Branch dbranch@ansoniact.org.
There is a mandatory walk through on January 4, 202 at 9am at the Water Pollution Control Facility on North Division Street in Ansonia, CT. The deadline for questions is January 11, 2024 at 4pm.
Deadline for the proposal is 3pm on January 16, 2024. Please submit (4) sealed copies of qualifications to The City of Ansonia, Town and City Clerk, 253 Main Street, Ansonia, CT, 06401.
“The responses to the RFQ will be reviewed by the Board of Aldermen, who will select the most qualified bidder to negotiate with,” Marini said, noting any potential agreement for a sale would need to be approved by the aldermen. “And of course prior to any sale, a statutory public hearing must be held by the Board of Aldermen.”
From The Mayor’s Desk:
* Interior demolition has begun on a new brewery slated for next door to Ansonia City Hall.
* City welcomed a new restaurant downtown — Islandville, located at 252 Main St., offering Caribbean fare, and also celebrated the second anniversary of Dash ‘N Beauty Bar, at 291 Main St. with an official grand opening. The salon services include lash extensions, body contouring teeth whitening and more.
