West Hill School Will Get New Bleachers In Its Gym

The Town Council awarded a bid to New England Facility Sales for $40,450 to replace the bleachers at West Hill School but they will not go up before school starts because the floor has to be replaced first.

"We will be taking out the old wooden bleachers and replacing them with ADA and code compliant ones," Town Manager Barbara Gilbert said Monday night. "We have talked to the Principal and the Superintendent and told them that we would like to get the wooden bleachers out and get the floors all set before installing the new bleachers. It's not the optimal way to do it but we think in the end it will be the best thing to do. Those bleachers have really gouged the floor."

The town received two bids for the work. The one from Northeast Facility Sales for $40,450 and another that was for $25,000 more.

Councilor Cathy Vargas asked if the amount for the project was within the amount the Council transferred. 

"It's actually much less than I thought it would be," Gilbert told Vargas. "We thought it would be in the $60,000 price range but it came in much less. We are already talking about using that money for some really pressing issues we have in the schools."

Gilbert pointed out that the roof area near where the new gym floor is going in at Stevens School is leaking badly and must be repaired. She said it should have been done with the gym roof but wasn't. It has to be done now, however, as the area is covered by a tarp.

Rocky Hill Mayor Tim Moriarty said he is happy with the company that earned the bid.

"I was up at the school and wasn't even expecting the people from the company to be there but they came and explained everything to us," Moriarty said. "The principal was hoping to get seating for 300. I told him with the new ADA requirements I didn't think it would happen but it looks like the way the are going to do the project we will gain some space and be seating for around 280, so we are close."