Selectmen To Consider Request On Darien HS Track Appropriation

DARIEN, CT — The Darien Board of Selectmen is scheduled to discuss and possibly take action on Feb. 27 on a request to increase the appropriation and bonding authorization for the Darien High School track project to $817,970.

There was about $450,000 included in the FY23 capital budget to replace DHS asphalt track and jump areas, but the town received no bids. The budget estimate was based off costs at the time in approximately April 2021.

The town contacted Cape & Island, Tennis & Track and received their proposal. Using the National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA), their cost proposal was $588,460.

Since the budget estimate was provided, the entire oil and paving industry has experienced cost increases at over 40 percent, Darien Facilities Director Kevin Munrett said in a Jan. 19 memo to Superintendent of Darien Public Schools Dr. Alan Addley.

Munrett noted that a primary component of the project involves the replacement of the underlayment of asphalt paving. Additionally, the track has deteriorated greatly since the original quote.

A "sandwich system" was then recommended for the asphalt, which would lengthen the useful life of the track by at least five years, Munrett said.

In January, the board of education voted to request that the board of finance grant an appropriation in the amount of $365,960 for the track project to fund the difference in cost from the approved budget plus the addition/alternate plan for the sandwich system.

"This price increase is in line with what we're seeing with the industry standards for tracks and paving projects," Munrett told the board of finance on Feb. 13. "But at our board meeting on Jan. 24, there was some interest not to go with the base bid but to actually go with an improved system which is a longer lasting, impervious surface that also helps the athletes in their performance and mitigates injuries."

The system would rectify concrete curbing issues on the interior of the track where it meets the synthetic turf.

If ultimately approved, the project would begin after graduation and be wrapped up before fall sports starts practice in late August, Munrett said.

The board of finance unanimously approved the appropriation and bonding authorization increase request to pass it on to the selectmen.

The Darien Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., on Feb. 27. The meeting will be held in person at Town Hall and broadcast on YouTube via DarienTV79.