Millerton approves $6.1M bid for Eddie Collins park pool

MILLERTON — The new pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park is moving forward after village trustees approved the first construction bid for the project.

The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to accept a bid from Key Construction totalling $6.1 million for site work and general construction on Tuesday, May 26.

Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek said construction is expected to begin in August.

“Aug. 1 is the go day,” Najdek said. “That’s when we’re planning.”

That work will include constructing the 5-lane Olympic-sized pool, poolhouse structure and preparing the site for other elements of the build including electrical installation, plumbing and HVAC. Complete electrical wiring, plumbing and HVAC will need to be completed by different contractors under separate contracts due to New York State requirements.

New York State’s Wicks Law requires municipal projects totalling over $500,000 in cost to create separate contracts for each of general construction, electrical wiring, HVAC and plumbing and gas fitting.

Millerton had received bids for the other necessary contracts, but decided to reject all of them and reopen the bidding period on the recommendation of engineering firm LaBella Associates. LaBella engineers designed the pool and poolhouse and provided consultation services in selecting contractors.

Millerton’s effort to build a new pool at the park started to materialize in 2024 when the village received more than $6 million as part of the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming grant program, commonly known as NY SWIMS.

Trustees accepted a final design for the pool in March and opened bidding for construction in April.

The Tuesday meeting also featured a whirlwind of resolutions, including entering into a full contract with property restoration company BELFOR for work at the site of the former water department building and village garage.

Millerton’s Department of Public Works building located on Route 22 near Eddie Collins Memorial Park caught fire in February 2025, destroying the structure and all of the equipment inside.

Since then, the village’s Department of Public Works has been using the Town of North East’s old highway garage on South Center Street as a temporary home.

The contract approval on Tuesday represents a more formal and complete contract with BELFOR as the village moves forward with constructing a new building for Water Department operations and to house the village’s municipal well.

A construction timeline has not yet been established.