Westfield board approves package of contracts, development deals and state grant acceptance
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Summary
The Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved a series of contracts and development agreements — including water-main and utility easement agreements for the police headquarters, a FOP labor contract, a Pulte development agreement, and a state roads matching grant of $911,189.50 — and authorized signing authority and consultant amendments to advance capital projects.
The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Westfield unanimously approved multiple contracts and development items during its March meeting, clearing the way for infrastructure work, consultant changes and grant acceptance.
Mark Griffith of the Verdis Group told the board the Citizens Water of Westfield water main extension agreement and a related utility easement for the police headquarters project have been reviewed by legal and engineering and that negotiations with Citizens concluded; the board approved both agreements. Chief Sean King endorsed a labor agreement negotiated with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), which the board approved after the department reported a 98.5% internal ratification (64 votes in favor, one opposed). The agreement, King said, aligns benefit provisions with the fire union where appropriate.
Michael Pierce, director of engineering, described a limited right-of-way dedication near Shamrock Boulevard and Creekwood Drive to support campus work at local schools; the board approved that dedication. Pierce also presented a development agreement with Pulte Homes for the Finley Creek Estates project that allows a slightly shortened acceleration lane at the entrance with Pulte agreeing to pay the future cost of bringing the lane to full width during later road work (approximately $38,000); the board approved that agreement.
The board approved an amendment to the professional services agreement with Rundell, Ernstberg and Associates to cover additional meetings and work on the city’s comprehensive plan; Director of Community Development Kevin Todd said the amendment increases the contract by $160,400 and will be paid from the department’s planning consulting budget without a request for additional appropriation.
Pierce also described a master task-order agreement with American StructurePoint for traffic on-call services (not to exceed $50,000) to support traffic modeling and related tasks; the board approved the master agreement. For Jersey Street reconstruction, the board authorized signing authority to finalize a contract once scope and price are nailed down (a ceiling of $315,000 was cited, with negotiated scope currently estimated at $286,000).
The board accepted a Community Crossings matching grant award from the state worth $911,189.50 to support local resurfacing and approved the formal matching agreement to receive the funds. As part of the consent agenda the board also approved March bond information and a resolution declaring selected fire-department fitness equipment surplus, to be disposed of via an internal bid process.
Board members voted in favor of each item following motions and seconds recorded on the record. The actions clear the way for several near-term design and construction steps and authorize consultant and contractor agreements needed to advance projects.
