November 15, 2006

1. Call to Order
The Killingworth Reservoir Road Bridge Engineering Review Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, November 15, 2006, at the Killingworth Town Office Building, 323 Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut. In attendance were Edward Coppola, Louis Fronte and Steve Durdy. Kurt Weiss had indicated he would not be able to make this meeting. Paul McGuinness arrived during the meeting. Chairman Coppola called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM.

2. Approval of Minutes
Tabled until the next meeting.

3. Visitors/Correspondence
First Selectman Klein was present.

Correspondence received from Cardinal Engineering regarding man hour summary dated 11/9/06. Also copy of letter from First Selectman Klein to Cardinal acknowledging receipt of the man hour summary.

Proposed Contract prepared by the State of Connecticut DOT for the Bridge Replacement.

4. Old Business
a. Cardinal Engineering – Contract
Members reviewed the Cardinal Engineering Contract in detail. There were questions regarding man hours and local permitting. Chairman Coppola recommended to First Selectman Klein that the contract be reviewed by the Town Attorney before it is signed. He also recommended the entire Board of Selectmen should be appraised of the contract (and give approval) before it is signed. Local permitting was reviewed. It was noted Cardinal Engineering should be responsible for obtaining local permits. The local town usually doesn’t have much involvement in that process. An application needs to be presented to both Planning & Zoning and Inland Wetlands. Each of the Committee members should review the contract and submit comments. First Selectman Klein noted he would get the contract to the Town Attorney tomorrow to start reviewing it. He would also alert Brett Stark to the fact there will be some questions and that some changes may be required. There was discussion regarding fees. There was discussion regarding who will be doing surveying and hydrology and the extent to which it is done. The different phases were reviewed. It was suggested there should be 3 phases instead of 2.

There was discussion about funding. First Selectman Klein noted there was $200,000 in the budget and wasn’t sure whether additional funding would have to go to Town Meeting.

There was discussion as to when the next meeting should be held. It was decided the Committee would not meet again until its regularly scheduled meeting on December 13th.

Chairman Coppola suggested First Selectman Klein send Cardinal a letter advising that the Town would like to have a progress report at the end of each task and decide whether or not it wants to move forward to the next task. He suggested language to the effect that Cardinal Engineering agrees to review the sequence and progress of each task before starting subsequent tasks and modifying it as may be requested by the First Selectman if in the best interest of the Town.

It was again noted Committee members would compile their comments and send them to First Selectman Klein who will get those to Brett Stark.

Chairman Coppola strongly suggested to First Selectman Klein that he get a letter from the Town Attorney that the proper process and procedure was followed (known as Qualifications Based Selection). First Selectman Klein agreed. Chairman Coppola noted there were two other situations in the Town of Killingworth where QBS was used (Town Centre and Bosco). This method is accepted by both the State of Connecticut and the Federal Government. This, however, is not covered in the Town Charter. Chairman Coppola also recommended to First Selectman Klein that the Town Attorney indicate in his review that it is okay to sign the contract having followed the stated guidelines by the State.

5. New Business
a. Year 2007 Meeting Schedule
Chairman Coppola indicated a notice was received from the Town Clerk advising a 2007 Meeting Schedule should be filed before January 31st. Chairman Coppola reviewed the charge of the Committee. He noted there were several items in the charge that were basically out of the hands of the Committee. Based on what the charge was, the Committee is pretty close to the end of what it can do. Chairman Coppola noted once the contract is signed, the Committee cannot do anything. It was noted if the Town pulls out of the program at some point, then Cardinal’s work would have to be reviewed by the Town Engineer, not the Committee. It was noted somewhere in the contract it should be noted that the Town can leave the program for just cause once 30 percent has been reached.

6. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.

December 13, 2006

1. Call to Order
The Killingworth Reservoir Road Bridge Engineer Review Committee held a meeting on December 13, 2006 at the Killingworth Town Office Building, 323 Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut. In attendance were Edward Coppola, Steve Durdy, Brian Ahearn, Louis Fronte and Paul McGuinness. Kurt Weiss was attending a Wetlands Meeting.

2. Approval of Minutes
Motion by Durdy, second by Ahearn, to approve November 8, 2006 Minutes amended as follows –
• Page 1, 8th paragraph, change 2nd sentence to read, “Mr. Klein noted that if the cost of the bridge construction is $1 million, the cost to the Town is $200,000 for construction and $50,000 for design.”
SO VOTED.

Motion by Durdy, second by Ahearn, to approve November 15, 2006 Minutes amended as follows -
• Page 2, under 5., last sentence should read, “It was noted somewhere in the contract it should be noted that the Town can leave the program for just cause and still receive 80 percent reimbursement up until 30 percent of the design had been reached or completed.”
SO VOTED.

3. Visitors/Correspondence
No visitors were present.

Chairman Coppola read a letter from Brett Stark of Close, Jensen and Miller dated December 6, 2006 relative to revised Schedules A and B of the Town/Consultant Agreement.

Copy of Board of Selectmen Minutes from November 27, 2006 was received. Chairman Coppola briefly reviewed those Minutes where Attorney Michael Wells reviewed the Resolutions for the Reservoir Road Bridge Project and the Board of Selectmen approved those Resolutions. Chairman Coppola pointed out that if the Town wants to do a project without any Federal or State monies, the QBS system doesn’t apply. It would still be subject to competitive bid.

Copies of the Revised Contract were received.

4. Old Business
a. Cardinal Engineering – Contract
Chairman Coppola noted he spoke to First Selectman Klein and Carol Gordon relative to the meetings of the Board of Finance and the Town Meeting. There was a glitch in the process and the Board of Finance did not review this at their meeting last night and the Town Meeting was not scheduled. Until this is approved by both the Board of Finance and Town Meeting, the First Selectman can’t sign off on the contract. There was discussion as to what would happen if the program (Federal/State) was abandoned. Chairman Coppola noted he would ask First Selectman Klein to schedule a Town Meeting for January.

There was discussion regarding Cardinal’s attendance at meetings, if and when required. It was noted it is Cardinal’s responsibility to obtain all required local permits. This is a Town Municipal Improvement project and must go before Planning & Zoning.
There was a brief discussion about what happens if this turns into a 3 year project and the possibility of using a temporary bridge. Chairman Coppola noted he didn’t think that was likely, but perhaps the possibility should be investigated. There was discussion regarding the use of a Bailey Bridge. The Committee agreed the quickest and least expensive option is to replace the two pipes there now and use that temporarily.

Chairman Coppola noted the Committee’s charge has been completed which was to recommend to the Board of Selectmen temporary structures to be considered. The Board of Selectmen, for whatever reason at this time, do not have an interest in spending money on a temporary solution. Once the 30 percent phase is up, a decision will then be made. The Board of Selectmen is waiting for the hydrology report and probably hoping that the solution will be to sleeve the bridge and the project will be done. It was noted CJM will be reviewing the report from Cardinal Engineering as a checks and balances.

There was discussion as to the possibility of putting in a temporary gravel road across the meadow to Roast Meat Hill Road, but that would probably mean crossing wetlands, etc. It wasn’t felt that would be a feasible solution. Chairman Coppola noted the Road Regulations should be reviewed relative to culverts and a 25 year storm.

Chairman Coppola reiterated that technically the Committee has completed its charge. Should the group stay together or should he request from the Board of Selectmen that the Committee be dismissed? It was decided the Committee should stay together until at least the 30 percent phase has occurred and a decision made as to which option to go with.

5. New Business
a. Year 2007 Meeting Schedule
It was agreed the Committee would meet in the future as needed and at the discretion of the Chairman. All meetings will then be considered special meetings. Chairman Coppola will cancel the December 20th meeting.

6. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:12 PM.

November 8, 2006

The Killingworth Reservoir Road Bridge Engineer Review Committee meeting was held on Wednesday, November 8, 2006, at the Killingworth Town Office Building, 323 Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut. In attendance were Edward Coppola, Louis Fronte, Steve Durdy, Kurt Weiss and Brian Ahearn. Paul McGuinness arrived during Correspondence. First Selectman Martin Klein was also present. Chairman Coppola called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.

Correspondence Received –
Memorandum from Town Clerk Re Filing of 2007 Meeting Schedule..

October 24, 2006 State of Connecticut DOT copy of letter to Martin Klein concerning fully executed State agreement for the bridge project.

October 19, 2006 to Martin Klein a Scope of Work document.

November 2, 2006 Cardinal Engineering to Martin Klein for direct cost estimate for engineering services.

November 8, 2006 from Close Jensen Miller to Martin Klein a counter proposal summary.

Chairman Coppola noted a scope of work document and man hours summary was received from Cardinal Engineering. There is also a signed contract between the State of Connecticut and the Town of Killingworth for this Bridge Program. He also noted he attended a brief meeting today with Brett Stark of Close Jensen & Miller and First Selectman Klein in which Mr. Stark summarized his previous meeting with Cardinal Engineering. The State and Cardinal have agreed on scope of work and man hours. The Committee is to review that this evening and if there are no discrepancies, First Selectman Klein would then call Cardinal Engineering and they would then prepare a contract with actual dollars. Close Jensen and Miller would then review that contract.

First Selectman Klein noted Cardinal has come with 2,025 hours for the design work which the State will pay 80 percent. Mr. Klein noted it would cost the Town about $250,000 if the Town goes with the million dollar bridge. The 30 percent threshold was also discussed. Once the hydrology report is in, the Committee can then make the decision as to whether an alternative should be considered and the Town do this itself. The 30 percent will take the Town through Task #3. Chairman Coppola had suggested the hydrology study be done and perhaps the right-of-way study would not be necessary.

There was much discussion regarding costs. Chairman Coppola noted there doesn’t seem to be any mention in the contract about Cardinal Engineering attending Planning & Zoning and Wetlands Meetings to obtain the required permits. There was discussion regarding maps and easements.

Chairman Coppola asked if the contract would have to go to Town Meeting. First Selectman Klein noted there is $200,000 in the budget and it could be spent without a Town Meeting. There was a brief discussion regarding a temporary bridge. There was much discussion regarding design and fees.

There was discussion regarding the 3 options that Cardinal Engineering will come in with. The first two will be bridges and the third option will be replacement or rehab of the bridge. Chairman Coppola noted Close Jensen and Miller will be reviewing everything. Man hours to get to the 30 percent was reviewed as well as what the cost would be to the Town. The hourly costs for various positions were reviewed.

It was felt that Cardinal Engineering should prepare the contract and send it to the Town and it can then be sent to the Town Attorney for review. Chairman Coppola noted the contract fees have to be approved by CJM. He also noted once CJM reviews the contract then the Town Attorney reviews it. The contract can be done within two weeks.

There was further discussion regarding doing a rehab to the bridge and what the hydrology report will show.

There was discussion about when the next meeting should be. Chairman Coppola noted if there is something back from Brett Stark, then the Committee can take a look at it next week.

The October Minutes were accepted as written.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:33 PM.