Norwalk parks commission approves three major contracts, citing $1 million federal tree grant and accreditation work

The Norwalk City Recreation and Parks & Cultural Affairs commission on Jan. 14 approved three contract measures it said will expand tree canopy, improve urban trails and help the department finish a national accreditation submission.

The commission voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Barbara C. Smith to sign a contract with Omens Garden Center for up to $455,000 to supply and plant trees and construct tree pits at multiple city locations, part of a program funded in part by a $1,000,000 grant the city received from the U.S. Forest Service. "So what you have before you is a contract which went out to bid through the purchasing department. Omens came back as the low bidder," a parks department representative said. The same speaker said: "It costs about $1,100 to plant a tree, and about $1,400 to dig a tree pit." The contract requires a two-year maintenance period during which the contractor is responsible for watering and replacement, and staff arborist Sarah Cruz will monitor the work.

In the same meeting the commission approved a technical-correction contract with Greenway Property Services for the Norwalk Urban Trails Project (project #4463R) not to exceed $724,828.50 from accounts identified in the agenda. The chair described the item as a technical correction to add an account and the item passed on voice vote.

Commissioners framed the tree contract as one piece of a larger canopy plan. Staff said the city's tree master plan and an on‑the‑ground tree survey (cited as data from initial surveys covering thousands of trees) guide site selection, with priority neighborhoods identified in earlier planning work. A parks official said volunteer stewardship and partnerships with land trusts will supplement city maintenance beyond the two-year contractor obligation.

The commission also approved a $170,680 second amendment to the 01/22/2021 agreement with Kimberly Horne and Associates Inc. to support completion and submission of the National Recreation and Parks Association accreditation application due in January 2027. The department described accreditation as a multi-year effort to standardize written policies and procedures across city departments and to improve eligibility for NRPA grants. "[Accreditation] gives us credibility," the presenter said, adding that accredited departments are more competitive for grants that range, staff said, from roughly $100,000 to $1,000,000 depending on project.

What happens next: staff will oversee Omens' two-year maintenance obligations, Sarah Cruz will inspect and report on planting progress, and the parks department will integrate the consultant work into an evidence and policy‑collection timeline to meet the NRPA submission deadline.