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Cheshire council approves $60,000 engineering contract for Veterans Memorial design after state grant
Summary
The council authorized a $60,000 contract with SLR International for engineering and design of a Veterans Memorial walk at Bartlett Park, to be funded in part by a $200,000 state grant; the veterans committee will use the design to guide fundraising and construction.
The Town of Cheshire voted to contract SLR International for engineering services to develop design and construction documents for a proposed Veterans Memorial walk behind the band shell at Bartlett Park.
Assistant Town Manager Andrew Martelli told the council the project is funded in part by a $200,000 state grant for Veterans Memorial upgrades and that SLR submitted a $60,000 proposal for design development, construction bidding and construction-phase assistance. "We received $200,000 from the state of Connecticut for upgrades to the Veterans Memorial here at Town Hall," Martelli said, and described the SLR work as design-only at this stage.
Don Fauch of the Veterans Advisory Committee described plans to recast two panels of the current memorial and create a series of eight interpretive nodes along the paved walkway, plus a larger flagpole atop the knoll. "We've been trying very hard to get additional names," Fauch said, noting about 30 submitted names are being reviewed and that the new configuration could provide additional opportunities to recognize more veterans.
Councilors asked about scope and cost. Martelli estimated total construction-level costs in the range of "about a half $1,000,000" and said the veterans committee would use the designs to solicit private donations to complete the work. He also said approximately $30,000 of the state grant would be used to recast memorial panels and noted SLR assisted pro bono on initial concept work prior to the contract request.
The proposal as presented covers planning, design development and bid-phase assistance only; council and committee members stressed that the committee will continue fundraising to cover construction costs. Martelli said the committee and staff will ensure the final landscape and planting plans consider native species, in keeping with other town guidance.
The council approved the contract authorization unanimously. Next steps include finalizing the design scope with SLR, continued name-collection and fundraising by the veterans committee, and subsequent construction procurement once funds are secured.
