New Canaan committee approves final closeout of police headquarters renovation, returns contingency funds

The Police Governing Committee in New Canaan approved the final financial closeout of the police headquarters renovation and authorized a $69,000 charge for additional Turner services to be paid from Turner’s contingency, members said.

The committee’s decision, taken by voice vote during the meeting, followed a presentation showing before-and-after photos of the renovated building and an executive summary of costs. Brian, the project architect, said the renovation “has been a transformational project” and presented a slideshow of the finished spaces. Committee members reported that the town returned more than $1 million in contingency funds after wrapping up construction requisitions from Turner.

Why it matters: The vote ends the construction phase of a multi-year effort to restore and upgrade the police facility, freeing remaining contingency funds to the town and closing the contractor requisitions ahead of full administrative wrap-up.

Committee discussion and key details Committee members praised the design and construction team for preserving the historic building while adding safety and operational improvements. The Police Chief reported, “Everything’s working great. We have a few minor things we’re still working out with Joe and the contractors, but they’re very minor,” and said systems such as HVAC and processing areas are functioning as intended.

On project finances, the committee reviewed Turner’s final report and a day‑2 items list. A Turner representative, identified in the meeting as Scott, requested additional onsite time to complete closeout tasks; the committee agreed to cover roughly $69,000 for about 10 weeks of Turner staff time from Turner’s contingency line. Committee members said a previously disputed contractor claim of about $330,000 was addressed and minimized and did not require additional town funds.

Other operational items raised during the closeout included: a parking agreement with the church across the street for overflow events; issuance of gate tags and activation of lower-lot access; a fixed camera and shed on site; a plan to install a booster pump to increase irrigation pressure; and remaining punch-list items to be completed in the coming months.

Formal actions and records The committee voted by voice to authorize final closeout actions and to approve the minutes and final cost reports provided by Turner (and an invoicing/administrative office referenced during the meeting). The meeting transcript records the motions and that a voice vote was conducted; no roll-call vote totals were recorded in the transcript provided.

The committee also noted overall schedule and budget performance: members said the project finished substantially under the original budget and earlier than projected, and that more than $1 million in contingency remained to be returned to the town once administrative closeout is complete.

What’s next Committee members asked staff to finish punch-list items, issue site access tags, complete remaining paperwork on contingency and allowances, and implement the irrigation booster pump in the spring. Staff and contractors were directed to finalize outstanding administrative invoices and submittals so the town can record the project as closed.

Ending Committee members closed the meeting after approving the final minutes and motions related to the project closeout. Several committee members and staff were publicly thanked for their roles in completing the renovation.