Town Board moves ahead with Swan Cove Phase 1 

The Carmel Town Board is moving forward with the first phase of the Swan Cove project in downtown Mahopac, selecting a firm to oversee construction of the park and adjacent parking lot, while authorizing additional engineering services. 

At its Oct. 14 meeting, the board considered a recommendation from town engineer Rich Franzetti to hire GeoDesign to provide construction management services for Phase 1, which involves what engineers call a surcharge program, in which weight is placed on the site to compress and stabilize the underlying soils and force out water before permanent improvements can be built. The goal is to prevent the flooding the site endures every time there is a heavy rain. 

Franzetti said the town received three proposals for the work. GeoDesign submitted the lowest bid at $63,795. GeoDesign is already the engineer of record for the project, Franzetti noted. 

Franzetti explained that the higher proposals included hundreds of hours for personnel to remain on-site during construction, while GeoDesign would provide geotechnical services and coordinate with Woodard & Curran, the engineering firm recently retained by the town to assist with bidding and construction-related services. 

Franzetti recommended that the town establish an overall construction management budget not to exceed $100,000, including GeoDesign's proposal and additional services from Woodard & Curran. 

The board had previously approved a $13,800 agreement with Woodard & Curran for bidding assistance. Franzetti recommended amending that authorization to provide approximately $22,405 more for additional site services, rather than relying solely on the firm's existing time-and-materials arrangement. 

He said the adjustment would help avoid repeated requests for additional funding as construction progresses. 

Board members also sought assurances that Woodard & Curran would make site visits only when requested by the town, rather than independently accumulating billable hours. Franzetti confirmed that the town would control those visits. 

The discussion also raised questions about how the town will finance the work. 

The board said it was still working to identify the funding sources for Phase 1, including the possible use of contingency funds, parkland funds and/or grant money. The board members indicated they would consult town comptroller Mary Ann Maxwell before making those determinations. 

The Swan Cove project is part of the town's broader effort to improve the downtown Mahopac business district, with officials hoping to proceed to the construction phase as soon as the initial Phase 1 work is completed.