Protest Delays Kehler Stadium Project By 6 Weeks

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield fall sports may be impacted due to a delay on summer work on Kehler Stadium by at least six weeks, Business Administrator Dana Sullivan announced.

H & S Construction and Mechanical, Inc. of Elizabeth, one of the vendors who bid on the contract, filed a bid protest after the Westfield Board of Education awarded the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Your Way Construction, Inc. of Irvington on March 19.

H & S Construction was the third lowest bidder in the process. However, their protest was denied on April 13 in Union County Superior Court.

On April 16, H & S Construction and Mechanical filed an appeal which will be heard on June 7.

“The original complaint by H&S was denied by Judge Karen Cassidy. Therefore, we feel this appeal lacks merit and may seriously impact our fall sports program,” Sullivan stated in release, adding that the delay could be longer if an immediate decision is not made on the appeal. “If H&S is successful, the second lowest bidder will have a claim to the Kehler Stadium contract at an additional cost of approximately $250,000, which H&S may also decide to challenge.”

Summer work on Kehler Stadium plans to replace the turf field, track, blacktop, bleachers and to renovate the bathrooms.

The district had already relocated spring sports to allow for work to begin this week after the contract was awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.

“If construction on the stadium is not completed by this fall, it will impact the freshman, junior varsity and varsity football program as well as girls and boys soccer and field hockey,” Sullivan concluded.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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