Fairfield committee weighs $500,000 driving-range netting project; finance review slated for fall

Fairfield’s golf committee discussed a proposed driving-range netting project that staff warned would require a capital appropriation and outside bids.

“Is Netty approved?” a committee member asked; another member replied that the project is not yet approved and “has to go through the board of finance and the RTM in September and October,” Anthony Calivers (staff member) said. A separate committee member cited an approximate project cost: “this thing costs $500,000.”

Staff described the fall timetable as part of a new capital-outlay schedule intended to allow bidding in the winter and reduce competition with other towns and schools. Committee members pressed for clearer cost estimates and for bids so they could weigh the netting’s payback against ongoing ball-loss and labor costs at the range.

Members discussed potential savings on balls and labor if netting reduced retrieval needs, and noted competing capital priorities. Calivers said staff will take the netting design and cost estimate to the Board of Finance and the RTM this fall so the town can appropriate funds and advertise for bids in winter.

Next steps: staff will return with a detailed cost estimate and formal recommendation to the Board of Finance and the RTM; the committee did not take final action at the meeting.