BCISD trustees brainstorm ways to save money on baseball/softball complex project

CUTLINE: Judy Cole and Patty Collins take the oath of office from Administrative Assistant Jean Magnuson as members of the Bridge City ISD Board of Trustees Monday night.

RECORD PHOTO: David Ball

David Ball

For The Record

Todd Lintzen, superintendent for the Bridge City Independent School District, said though the board of trustees held a work session Monday night to discuss proposals and to consider awarding a baseball/softball complex project at Bridge City High School, it's still very early in the process and everything is tentative.

So early in the process, in fact, that dollar amounts aren't totally set.

Clay Richards, architect, said McInnis Construction of Silsbee, was the low bidder out of two qualified bids. Four contractors showed up for the mandatory pre-bid meeting. However, the project is over budget and value engineering options are being considered to save the district money.

Richards said it's not the construction of the fields that cost so much, but building the concessions stand and restrooms, that must be ADA compliant, that's the rub. He added that it's costly running the water lines, utilities, site pavement and a minimum to build at least 10 stalls for the restrooms to be ADA compliant. The concessions stand will be 1,800 square feet in area and the restrooms will be 1,250 square feet in area.

Other costs will include turf, demolition, building the dugouts, clay for the infield, etc. The current backstop and lights will be kept for the baseball field. The clay for the infield comes from McKinney while the clay for the outfield will be locally sourced. One option is to donate the old stands to another ball park with the receiver covering the cost of removal.

There will be no HVAC in the restrooms, but a ventilation system will be installed. There will be HVAC installed in the ticket booth.

The concessions stand will also have a pantry and an outside storage room.

Trustee Thad Hill asked if the bids were supervised because the district "missed by a whole bunch." Richards said they were supervised and added that soil conditions are a tough thing to cost estimate.

"We missed the dirt work side of it. It could be high at times or it could be low at times," Richards said.

Another option being looked at to save money is to pour less pavement and shorten the run for the water pipes to the concessions stand and restrooms.