Williamsport selects Gutilius Excavating for Newberry Park improvements; CDBG funds to cover $540,445 bid

City Engineer Bill Scott told the Williamsport Public Safety Committee on June 3 that the city recommends awarding a construction contract for Newberry Park improvements to Dave Gutilius Excavating of Mifflinburg. Scott said the project is funded by the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and that the low total bid was $540,445.40.

Scott said the project received three bids. He reported the base bid as $394,177.40 and an additional owner bid of $146,268, for a combined low total of $540,445.40. Scott described the planned work as regrading the site; installing a U10 soccer field in the large open space; adding a paved walking path around the perimeter; constructing a new ADA‑compatible parking lot; installing two pickleball courts; and adding a single‑user, precast concrete restroom under the alternate bid.

Councilwoman Bonnie Katz asked whether new restrooms would include water fountains; Scott said the Elm Park restroom uses a similar precast model and that the Newberry restroom will include a water fountain if the selected model contains that feature. Katz also raised parking concerns for soccer games; Scott said the new lot will add parking capacity, though he did not state a specific number of spaces in the committee discussion.

Scott said the restroom would be sited near an existing utility building to access water and utilities, and he said the contractor would provide a one‑year maintenance bond after construction; performance and payment bonds cover the construction period. When Katz asked whether the contractor is in good standing with the city, Scott replied that the contractor had been checked by the treasurer and was “in good standing.”

Scott said a preconstruction kickoff meeting would occur in June if the council awards the contract, with mobilization and initial work following within a few weeks. He forecast construction activity in July and August and said the project might be completed around Labor Day, though he did not guarantee a finish date. The committee discussed restroom access and locking systems and asked about the soccer field’s management, which Scott said had not been determined in the meeting.

The transcript records Scott recommending the award and discussing bids, schedule and bonding; the excerpt does not show a formal motion vote or final contract award recorded in the committee portion provided.