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Public works defends $1/2 million high-school pavilion and rebuilt Beaver Street court
Summary
Council members pressed for information after residents and board members said they were surprised by a new pavilion at Danbury High School and a rebuilt Beaver Street basketball court. Public Works director Antonio defended contract decisions, use of bond/ARPA funds and prevailing-wage procurement.
Council members raised questions on Oct. 1 about a new pavilion at Danbury High School and the recently rebuilt Beaver Street basketball court after residents and some board of education members said they were surprised by the projects’ scope and cost.
Councilman Coelho said constituents and some school-board members had not heard about the pavilion and asked whether repairs across the high school were complete and where the pavilion’s funding originated. Mayor and staff said the pavilion was funded from leftover bond money allocated to the ninth-grade center several years earlier.
Antonio from Public Works, who responded at the podium, defended the Beaver Street court reconstruction and the pavilion work. Antonio said the Beaver Street project replaced an aging asphalt court with a post-tension concrete slab, addressed safety issues, removed and reset foundations and fencing, and carries a 20-year warranty on the concrete and finishes. He said work was procured through the board of awards with bonding and prevailing-wage requirements and that costs have risen since 2008 due to market changes.
“There's a significant amount of work that people just don't see,” Antonio said, describing the demolition, form work, perimeter fence removal and reinstallation, and the cost drivers tied to post-tension slab construction.
Council members including Perkins and Simone praised the quality of the work while acknowledging resident concerns about communication. Several councilors asked for better, regular reporting on open bonds and ARPA spending so the council and public can track available balances and planned uses.
Council accepted the department reports and approved related actions by voice vote.
What it means: The city says the projects addressed safety problems and were procured under public contracting and prevailing-wage rules; some council members want more proactive notification and routine financial reporting to avoid surprises.
Next steps: Public Works and the mayor’s office said they will consider a factual written response to an email circulated about the projects and will provide more detailed information to council members.
