OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Transportation Committee Meeting: May 18, 2026 – Desman Contract Amendment Approval

Board of Representatives — Monday, May 18, 2026
BodyStamford, Connecticut
SessionBoard of Representatives
DateMonday, May 18, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 9:24
Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Uh thank you.

0:01

Um I'll call the meeting to order.

0:03

Um this is the uh transportation committee meeting.

0:06

It is Monday, May 18th at 6 30 uh 6 31 p.m.

0:11

Um Sheila, if you could call the do the roll call here for me.

0:18

Sure.

0:18

Representative Adams.

0:20

Present.

0:21

Representative Gilbride.

0:23

She's not on here.

0:25

Representative.

0:28

Present.

0:30

Representative.

0:35

Present.

0:36

Representative Sanford?

0:39

Present.

0:39

Representative Shore?

0:41

Present.

0:42

Representative Star?

0:44

Present.

0:45

Representative Weathers.

0:47

Present.

0:48

Representative Weirs?

0:50

Present.

0:57

That's it.

0:59

I also see as an attendee we have Representative.

1:08

Yeah, moving him over now.

1:10

Thank you.

1:12

Did I miss anybody else?

1:17

I don't believe so.

1:19

So we have one item on the agenda.

1:22

This is an approval.

1:25

It's item T32.004.

1:28

This is the first amendment to Desmond to the Desmond contract for on call engineering.

1:35

Um consulting services for city parking facilities, RFP, uh 813.

1:42

Um, so um Thomas, are you gonna be discussing this for us?

1:50

I will in Luke's absence the best I can, but I'll be honest, I don't know as much as he does.

1:59

So I'll do my best.

2:01

Okay.

2:02

I think it's pretty uh pr pretty straightforward item.

2:05

It's a it's a renewal of an extension of an existing contract, correct?

2:11

Yes, these are the consultants that do design work for the city's garages whenever there's projects or issues that pop up.

2:20

And I believe what I was told it is just basically an extension of an existing contract.

2:26

And I is this specifically for the 888 garage, or is it for other garages as well?

2:33

I'm pretty sure it's for any garage that needs attention that makes it pretty versatile.

2:39

It's not specific to one location.

2:42

Okay.

2:47

So I take it there's not like a formal presentation.

2:50

I know Luke felt badly that he wasn't able to uh to be on the colleys um as a personal day today.

2:56

Um I don't think it was for specific design at the moment.

3:00

Yeah, it's mainly just to get the contract active again so we could pursue other projects.

3:06

So there's not there's nothing like specific that I'm aware of that we're working on in the moment.

3:13

Okay, I see uh Chris Delaselva has a uh has a hand up.

3:32

Doesn't look like you're muted.

3:39

I don't know if that was a mistake.

3:41

Chris Delaselva.

3:49

Okay.

3:50

Um I'm gonna go to Representative Adams.

3:54

Yes.

3:54

Uh uh, Tom.

3:56

Um, like this contract is for Bill Street, um, booking garage, uh Street Walking, Summer Street Volking Garage, you know, for it, Limbrook train station, Springdale train station, and East Man parking lot.

4:11

So what um these engineers are on call whenever we have a situation with in the one in the parking lot or uh um garages that um they would tell us what we need to fix how to fix it.

4:26

Yeah, I think it's for if something pops up on its own or if a project is thought up of in-house and we just need design work done, so it's it's not I don't think it's just for the sky's falling, we have an emergency.

4:41

I think if there's improvement plans we come up with that they can work with that too.

4:47

And they'll pay it on an hourly basis and not contract for the years.

4:51

So I mean, I guess I say if they're doing work for the city to get paid, if not um not being paid.

5:00

I believe it's as they're used.

5:02

I don't think it's an upfront thing.

4:59

You know, usually with contract amounts, it's what you expect you may spend, not necessarily what you're spending.

5:14

Okay.

5:16

Hi, yeah.

5:16

This contract seem to be um pretty forward, like we've been doing business with him since 1920, 1921.

5:25

Can anyone hear me?

5:28

Yes, yes, okay.

5:30

We can hear you.

5:30

Go ahead.

5:31

I'm sorry to interrupt.

5:32

I thank you.

5:34

I had a I got out and got back in.

5:36

This is Chris Delisalva.

5:37

I'm assistant core counsel for the city, and I I uh assisted Luke Weezer with this, and and I I can help Thomas in this meeting as well.

5:48

Uh this the overall contract is for you know a number of city garages, it's like an on call engineering service.

5:59

This first amendment is for the addition of a government center garage project and the design work.

6:07

The original contract didn't require any board approvals because we were never spending more than a hundred thousand dollars a year.

6:14

We're going to eclipse that with the addition of this government center project, and that's the reason why we're now bringing the entire contract through the boards for approval.

6:25

It's already been approved by the Board of Finance, and it's at this this committee's is the second stop.

6:34

Okay, thank you.

6:36

Representative Adams, did you have another question?

6:39

And I apologize, I may have interrupted you before.

6:42

No, no, not a problem.

6:44

So I mean, that was some clarity.

6:46

So this is the government center is an additional, so this would be um eight, um property that this contract will be taken care of rather than the second.

6:56

So the governor's uh government center will be added to this because I'm looking at one of the old contract, the government center is not here.

7:04

So just an additional.

7:07

Yeah, that there are documents that are attached to that are on record that are attached um with the agenda that reference this.

7:14

The most recent one uh is dated May 6th of 2026, and it does specifically state um the first amendment extends the terms of this contract for one additional year, uh uh it updates Desmond's hourly rates, um, incorporates the state of Connect the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation Standards specifications for roads, bridges, facilities, and incidental construction.

7:41

Um the original contract attached expires on September 8th of 2026.

7:48

Um the additional year is necessary to develop design plans and bid documents for a new government center garage repairs project.

7:57

Those repairs may include concrete, waterproofing, drainage improvements, and other miscellaneous improvements such as painting electrical upgrades, stairwell.

8:06

Um Desmond's fees for this additional work are estimated and it's actually redacted uh in the doc in the document.

8:13

I'm I'm pulling out a key segment, it's not the entire document.

8:20

Okay, fair enough.

8:21

I yield.

8:24

Does any uh one from the committee have any questions?

8:31

Seeing that there are none, do we uh can we move this item?

8:36

So moved.

8:37

Second.

8:41

I think we can uh go to a voice vote on this.

8:45

Um all those that approve aye.

8:50

Hi, anybody opposed?

8:57

Any abstentions?

9:00

Okay, um it passes, and that's the uh only item we have.

9:06

Um, we have a motion to adjourn the meeting.

9:09

Motion to adjourn.

9:11

Thank you.

9:12

Nice to meet you all.

9:14

Thank you, anybody.

9:16

Thank you for your time today.

9:17

All right, bye-bye.

9:19

Thank you, Sheila.

9:20

Thanks, Chris.

9:22

You're welcome.

9:22

Have a good night.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Procedural███████████████████████34%
Summary of Proceedings

Transportation Committee Meeting – May 18, 2026: Desman Contract Amendment

The Transportation Committee of the Stamford Board of Representatives held a remote special meeting on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 6:31 p.m. (called to order at 6:31 p.m., adjourned at 6:40 p.m.). The sole agenda item was approval of the 1st Amendment to Desman’s on‑call engineering consulting contract for city parking facilities (RFP 813). The committee voted unanimously 8‑0‑0 to approve.

Discussion Items

  • Item T32.004 – 1st Amendment to Desman Contract: The amendment adds the Government Center garage project and its design work to the existing contract, extends the contract by one additional year (original expiration September 8, 2026), updates Desman’s hourly rates, and incorporates the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation standard specifications. The original contract had not required Board of Representatives approval because annual spending was under $100,000; with the Government Center project, spending will exceed that threshold, necessitating board approval. The Board of Finance had already approved the amendment 5‑0‑0 on May 14, 2026.
  • Clarifications: Assistant Corporation Counsel Chris Dellaselva explained the addition of the Government Center garage project to the contract and the reason for seeking approval. Director of Transportation Tom Turk, filling in for Luke Buttenwieser, noted the contract is for on‑call services across multiple garages and lots, including Bill Street, Summer Street, Bell Street, Glenbrook train station, Springdale train station, and East Main parking lot. Representative Adams inquired about the scope, confirming the Government Center is a new addition.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote: The committee approved the amendment by a unanimous voice vote of 8‑0‑0 (Reps. Wirz, Stone, Adams, Hughes, Pelliccia, Sandford, Shore, and Weathers in favor; Rep. Gilbride absent/excused). No public testimony was offered.
  • Next Steps: The amendment will proceed to the full Board of Representatives for final approval, as it is the second stop after the Board of Finance.

Meeting Transcript

Uh thank you. Um I'll call the meeting to order. Um this is the uh transportation committee meeting. It is Monday, May 18th at 6 30 uh 6 31 p.m. Um Sheila, if you could call the do the roll call here for me. Sure. Representative Adams. Present. Representative Gilbride. She's not on here. Representative. Present. Representative. Present. Representative Sanford? Present. Representative Shore? Present. Representative Star? Present. Representative Weathers. Present. Representative Weirs? Present. That's it. I also see as an attendee we have Representative. Yeah, moving him over now. Thank you. Did I miss anybody else? I don't believe so. So we have one item on the agenda. This is an approval. It's item T32.004. This is the first amendment to Desmond to the Desmond contract for on call engineering. Um consulting services for city parking facilities, RFP, uh 813. Um, so um Thomas, are you gonna be discussing this for us? I will in Luke's absence the best I can, but I'll be honest, I don't know as much as he does. So I'll do my best. Okay. I think it's pretty uh pr pretty straightforward item. It's a it's a renewal of an extension of an existing contract, correct? Yes, these are the consultants that do design work for the city's garages whenever there's projects or issues that pop up. And I believe what I was told it is just basically an extension of an existing contract. And I is this specifically for the 888 garage, or is it for other garages as well? I'm pretty sure it's for any garage that needs attention that makes it pretty versatile. It's not specific to one location. Okay. So I take it there's not like a formal presentation. I know Luke felt badly that he wasn't able to uh to be on the colleys um as a personal day today. Um I don't think it was for specific design at the moment.

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