ARPA committee approves final Hinding invoices for Painter Park tennis project, signs lower-court contract

WEST HAVEN, Conn. Aug. 5, 2025 The West Haven ARPA Committee approved final payments for the Painter Park tennis-court project and voted to accept a contractor proposal to complete work on the two lower courts after the contractor reduced its cost, the committee chair said.

The committee approved the contractor Hinding—Tennis's final invoice for the Painter Park project after staff reissued a clearer invoice format at the committee's request. Committee members approved invoice number 26356 (as read on the record) for the Painter Park work; the chair described the final invoice as roughly $91,000 and said the contractor had earlier submitted inconsistent figures that had been clarified in the packet.

Why this matters: The Painter Park work was an ARPA-funded parks project that included construction and change orders; approving the final invoice closes the project—funding run and releases ARPA funds to the contractor. The committee discussed and accepted a separate second-phase scope to repave and convert two courts for field street hockey, which the contractor agreed to perform for about $80,000 after initially proposing roughly $126,000.

Details from the meeting: Ken Carney, chair, said the contractor submitted an initial invoice that was difficult to read and that his office created a clearer billing template. After the vendor reissued invoices following that template, the committee approved an invoice that Carney identified by number and described as the final payment. Carney also told the committee there was a second-phase proposal originally quoted at approximately $126,000 to rip up and repave two lower courts, add drainage and fencing, and paint lines; Hinding lowered that price to $80,000 and the committee approved the $79,009.85 proposal later in the meeting for the lower courts, noting painting of lines remained to be scheduled.

Committee action: Members moved and seconded motions to approve the final Painter Park invoice and to approve the lower-court contract; both motions passed on voice votes. Carney noted the main job was complete except for painting lines, which required a 21-day wait before striping.

Billing and bookkeeping: The chair said his office will maintain an internal ledger for Hinding to ensure future invoices identify contract items and remaining retainage; he said an 80% payment was approved earlier and the remaining balance will be tracked and presented on future agendas if needed.

Ending: With the Hinding approvals complete, the committee moved on to other agenda items.