Hampton presents multiple capital projects: municipal renovation, pool upgrades, wayfinding, storybook trail and Meadow Field design

Council received multiple capital funding requests Feb. 12 covering building renovations, park features and design work for a synthetic turf field.

Municipal renovation: Staff requested release of $130,000 in capital funds for phase 2 of municipal building renovations — flooring, painting, furniture, two restroom renovations (including ADA improvements), signage and related soft costs. Presenters said phase 1 came in under budget and that phase 2’s contingency and line items were intended to keep the work consistent with prior contractor selections.

Pool and community center repairs: Requests included replacement parts for lifeguard chairs ($23,503.20) and HVAC work at the pool complex (two restroom unit‑heater replacements and adding building automation sensors) estimated at roughly $25,271.04. Staff said the work will improve winter heating protection and add monitoring to avoid future freezer or cooler failures.

Storybook trail and wayfinding: Staff proposed 20 storybook panels along the Martha Humpel playground trail ($13,945) and a park wayfinding/signage package not to exceed $87,000 (cost quoted at $83,001.45 plus contingency). Project lead said sign fabrication and certified installation would come from vendors on the state CoStars list; lead time was estimated at six to eight weeks, with installation taking a week to two depending on weather. Officials said the township expected at least $50,000 from the Hampton Community Association reserve, bringing likely available funding to about $120,000 for the combined projects.

Meadow Field design: Staff recommended awarding a $50,000 contract to engineering firm PVE for design of a synthetic turf surface at Meadow Field. The manager said the work is primarily civil (stormwater management and grading) and that the design would provide about 95% of the construction‑level plans needed to pursue grants and prepare a formal construction bid. Staff noted earlier cost estimates for turfing exceeded $1 million and that design is the next step to firm up scope and cost.

Other items: staff also presented requests to finalize a wireless bridge/infrastructure at the pool and a small cellular/Wi‑Fi node to allow athletic associations to use point‑of‑sale systems at the fields (estimated cost from vendor materials about $2,010 plus contingency), purchase a pressure washer (budgeted $6,000) and order town welcome signs ($8,500 total).

Staff recommended council authorize or schedule these capital items for approval and noted several are contingent on available CIP funds and donor/association contributions. Specific approvals were not recorded at the Feb. 12 meeting; staff said some work could be scheduled for spring depending on procurement and lead times.