Politics & Government

Contract Awarded for Pool, Park Renovations

Summit-based Z-Tech Contracting Inc. submitted the lowest bid at about $840K for Memorial Park.

The Chatham Borough Council unanimously voted to award the contract for improvements to , and the adjacent parking lot to the Summit-based Z-Tech Contracting Inc. Monday evening for the final fee of $840,224.50.

The project includes piping and grounds improvement to the Chatham Borough Municipal Pool, changes to the decking around the pool, enlarging the kiddie pool to be about 40 percent bigger than it currently is, raising its elevation to the same level as the main pool, and some retaining walls to support the elevation. The total for this portion of the project is $387,262.50, .

Changes to the park include a new multi-purpose field put between the two baseball fields, along with some grading and limited tree removal, plus an option for sodding the field for $26,082, as opposed to put down seed and hay, which DeNave said was about $14,000 cheaper but took longer. Given the demands to borough athletic fields and that the borough had the funds available, DeNave said it was wiser to sod the fields. Total costs for this portion of the project came to about $400,000.

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The project also includes adding an additional 14 parking spaces to the adjacent lot for about $100,000, which will be taken from streets and roads accounts, DeNave said.

"I think we got a pretty good price," DeNave said.

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Council President Jim Lonergan commented on the "dramatic" range of prices in the five bids received. "I was surprised," he said.

DeNave said, "that often happens when two projects get lumped together," because one company rarely has the expertise necessary to address the entire project. They therefore must employ a subcontractor. 

Z-Tech's specialty, DeNave said, is the field work. They submitted their bid with a subcontractor, Main Line Pools, which will handle the pool work.

"They have a good handle on everything that's going on," DeNave said. "We should be in good shape."

DeNave also said that Z-Tech and Main Line Pools understood the tight schedule, especially for the Municipal Pool. He said the contractor needs to get to work immediately after the pool closes on Labor Day in order to complete the work before next Memorial Day, especially considering the plausible weather delays if Chatham has another heavy winter.

Joint Purchase of Brine Maker

The council also unanimously approved a resolution to of the City of Summit, the Borough of New Providence and the Township of Millburn.

Brine is water saturated with salt. The brine can be applied to the street before an upcoming storm and it helps prevent the build-up of snow and ice. Additionally, the brine can be mixed with the salt and it will make it more effective against the ice and snow on the roads.

The machine, which will be housed in the Summit Public Workd facility on Chatham Road, will also be equipped with software that will track daily and seasonal data and distinguish between users for accurate account of use.

Summit approved its portion of the joint purchasing agreement last Tuesday, contingent on the other municipalities approving their portion.

Other Items Approved

The council also approved another resolution appointed Morrison Mahoney as special counsel for the council, the Borough Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the . Tricare wanted to purchase the Parrot Mill Inn and open a gambling addiction treatment center, which was rejected by the borough last year.

The council also approved the following items by a single unanimous vote:

  • A resolution declaring September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and pledging the support of the council to the l awareness campaign, which was launched by Gail MacNeil, a Chatham resident who died of ovarian cancer.
  • Mark A. Novak and Ted R. Pribula added as propationary firefighters with the
  • A resolution authorizing a grant submission for the Municipal Alliance Committee of the Chathams for the calendar year 2012 in the amount of $17,942, for drug and alcohol abuse treatment and prevention.
  • A resolution extending the quarter due date for property taxes from Aug. 1 to Sept. 6.
  • A resolution to purchase baseball and softball uniforms for the Recreation Department from R&R Trophy/Sporting Goods, of Arlington, for $35,605.
  • A resolution awarding a contract for roadway and drainage improvements along Washington Avenue to Cifelli & Son General Construction, Inc., a Nutley-based company, for $230,434.
  • Two resolutions approving a $75 grant for the Community Garden and a $5,000 grant from St. Barnabus Hospital for the Mayor's Wellness Campaign, respectively.


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