Perhaps it's time to relate what has been happening since the Wettish Property was bought in 2006. In the past two years the Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission (P & R), has pursued vigorously the development of five multipurpose fields. We have organized committees, created documents, requested seed funds, dug holes, tested water tables, selected a design firm and presented cost estimates. The BOS, BOF, and other town Commissions have been very cooperative up to this point, but because of the latest high estimate cost I now perceive a reluctance to fund this project without cutting a field or two or abandoning the irrigation system. One million six hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money, but this cost can be brought down with prudent fiscal management of the project. The town of Killingworth needs multipurpose fields; this has been shown by the field study committee and by the overused conditions of the fields at Sheldon Park.
In March of 2006, shortly after the Wettish property was bought, on a request from then First Selectman Marty Klein, Killingworth P&R drafted an Initial Development Plan Proposal to build five multipurpose fields on the northwest corner of the Wettish property. Mr. Klein wanted to ask the state for funds for the project. Using data collected by the Field Study Committee, the Commission concluded that five multipurpose fields were needed to fulfill needs until 2014. We also concluded that in order to properly maintain the fields an irrigation system was a necessity. The proposal was written in two weeks, the projected cost of 710K was estimated with help from members of the Killingworth community that do similar type of construction projects for a living. This estimate assumed that the cost could be kept down if we followed the model used to build Bethke Community Field; lots of donated equipment use and volunteered labor.
The state didn't give the town new money to build fields, but it was suggested the Town could use the 500K Steap Grant it already had. The Steap Grant was transferred from the "Town Center project" to the "Wettish Fields". This was a double edge sword, although it appeared that we would need just $210K more to fund the project there were lots of requirements that would, in the long run, increase the cost of the project. The state of Connecticut wanted a development plan with actual engineering drawings; they required formalized job bidding, contractors that pay prevailing wages etc. Separate from the state, town residents would have to approve the use of the Steap Grant for Athletic fields, reinforcing the need to have a well thought out engineering design to present the voters.
When the 2007-08 Budgets and Capital requests were being prepared, P&R requested $210K in order to commence the project. We wanted money to start the engineering work. The Board of Selectmen were uncomfortable with this request and rightly so. They wanted "real" numbers generated by a independent and reputable engineering firm. There was no guarantee that we could complete the project for the informal projected cost. Using very sensible logic, they didn't want P&R to ask for more money if the $710K was not sufficient to complete the project. This meant that P&R would have to qualify and select an athletic field design engineering firm.
Concurrent to the above events, the P&R Commission decided that it needed to form an advisory group. To help with the project, the Commissioners wanted to tap into the expertise of the residents of Killingworth. We also wanted to keep all interested parties informed. P&R asked many individuals if they wanted to volunteer, including members BOF, Planning & Zoning, Inland & Wetlands, Field Study Committee, Land Use and the various user groups. The BOS helped us formalized this group by appointing them to the Bethke Advisory Sub-Committee. The first order of business for this group was to select an engineering firm. Several months later, after request for proposals, pre-qualifications and QFPs, in the summer of 2007 the Advisory Sub-Committee selected Weston & Sampson of Rocky Hill. During the QFP process informal discussions suggested that the costs per field would approach $200K per field, these were estimates without any engineering work having been done. The Wettish field project had grown to 1 million dollars, with no infrastructure costs included.
The million dollar figure was not a concrete number though. P&R requested $8K from the BOS, to get a real engineering estimate. For this amount, Weston & Sampson would produce a simplified development master plan for the entire Wettish property, and calculate a better estimate of the total cost for the 5 field project. The engineering firm started looking at the numbers in mid September. The Advisory sub-committee reviewed their plans which included four different designs. One of the designs followed the original March 2006 Proposal which had shown the parking lot located away from the road. This turned out to be the most expensive design, costing close to 2.5 million dollars. The design that was chosen was the least expensive, but at 1.6 million dollars is quite an eye opener.
P&R has given the board of Selectman what they wanted, a "real" number generated by a reputable engineering firm. The total cost is significantly higher than the 2006 estimate, but the earlier estimate was using the Bethke model dependent on volunteerism. Weston & Sampson has done a great job estimating the cost of the project. The estimate is based on their experience from similar jobs. One million six hundred thousand is a lot, but before we start cutting the number of fields or removing the irrigation system we need to closely examine Weston & Sampson's estimated construction costs. Are there any tasks that can be accomplished for less money than the estimates? Yes, using the Bethke model we'll be able to find cost savings without compromising the integrity of the design. The problem is that P&R still cannot guarantee that any new estimate created using the Bethke model for cost saving can be exact, and that we will not have to come back and ask for more money to complete the project. P&R has to ask for the formalized 1.6 million dollars, and if approved, manage the funds thoughtfully. There are ways to develop the fields using locally donated or reduced cost resources; and ways of being frugal with the Killingworth tax payer's money, and still satisfy the requirements of the Steap Grant. Once we have construction drawings and "tasks documents", the job can be subcontracted to different vendors. Payments from the state must be managed carefully, making sure that monies reimbursed by the state are for goods and services that meet all their requirements. The funds from Killingworth can be spent using the Bethke model. Can the cost differences be reconciled? After two years it's going to be difficult. There are also other possibilities to help in funding this project such as: using a LOSIP Grant to pay for the project's parking lot and access roads; or applying for another Steap Grant. But before the town applies for a new Steap Grant, the state wants us to begin using the current one.
So it's up to US to decide what to do. Not building any fields is irresponsible. Killingworth is in desperate need of athletic fields. Building the fields without irrigation would lead to recurring maintenance problems of parched fields with bare spots. Building just two or three fields would leave us with a deficit of fields. We would just have to build the remaining needed fields at a higher cost in three or four years. Our elected officials need to continue going forward with this project. P&R has asked the town for $50K to start the development of the construction drawings and for designing the irrigation system. The BOS has approved the first appropriation and now P&R awaits the BOF and the citizens of Killingworth, at a as yet to be determined date, to do the same.
Dan Colonia,
Chairman
Killingworth Park & Recreation Commission
(Members of the Killingworth Park & Recreation Commission are:
C. Kelly, W. Silas, M. Cumpstone, J. Machold, S. Otto, S. Dean and
D. Colonia)
(Members of the Advisory Sub-committee are: C. Kelly, H. Kumnick, D.
Gross, R. Otto, T. Nixon, E. Auer, and D. Colonia)