School board approves Hellas Construction contract to complete baseball, softball field upgrades
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Summary
The school board approved a contract with Hellas Construction to finish upgrades to the district baseball and softball fields, covering turf, coated fencing, covered batting cages and lighting. The board voted to authorize the purchase using a Government Procurement Alliance contract; warranty coverage begins at final completion and sign-off.
The school board approved a contract with Hellas Construction to complete upgrades to the district's baseball and softball fields, including new turf, coated fencing, covered batting cages and replacement lighting, at a regular meeting where the administration recommended the purchase. The board moved and seconded the measure and voted to approve the purchase as presented.
District staff member Brent Stanford said the work is intended to "finish this baseball softball fields" project, listing specific elements including removal of chain-link fencing and replacement with black-coated fencing, covering the batting cages so practice can continue in rain, replacing lighting, and surfacing areas inside the fenced areas with turf or concrete. "If we don't finish the project and do it right," Stanford said, "I want people to look back and say at least they did it right." He also said the district plans to reuse faded R-panel siding on the softball side and to repaint the baseball fence rather than move it.
Stanford told the board the administration recommended approving the proposal submitted by Hellas Construction using a Government Procurement Alliance (GPA) contract. He said funds were available to finish the project. When a board member asked about warranty timing, Stanford replied, "The warranty starts when they are completely finished by signing up on it. That's when the warranty will start."
Board member Nutt moved to approve "the purchase of the baseball and softball fields improvement projects, as presented in the proposal submitted by Hellas Construction" and Board member Kelly seconded. After the motion, those present said "Aye" and the chair announced the motion passed. The transcript records two different dollar amounts tied to the proposal: an earlier presentation referenced $987,725, while the motion as read into the record recorded $987,360. The contract was authorized using the GPA procurement channel referenced in the proposal.
The approved scope includes: replacing chain-link with black-coated fencing, adding fencing to separate spectator and player areas, covering batting cages, replacing lighting, surfacing existing grassy pads with turf or concrete, reuse and repainting of existing R-panel siding on the softball side, and painting (not relocating) the baseball fence. The board did not discuss additional funding sources in detail; Stanford said the funds were available but did not specify the account or funding line.
The board opened the item for questions and then moved directly to a motion to approve the contract. The meeting record shows one board member, Brian Sebring, absent for the meeting; the quorum statement referenced Texas Government Code Chapter 551 for open meetings compliance.
Documents referenced in the discussion include the Hellas Construction proposal and the Government Procurement Alliance contract number cited in the presentation. The contract's exact purchase order or internal contract identifier as read into the record varied in wording during the meeting.
Next steps for the project were not detailed in the meeting minutes beyond the board's approval; staff indicated work would proceed under the GPA contract and that the warranty period would begin at substantial completion and sign-off.
