The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to select D Wilson Construction as the design‑build contractor for the district’s Performing Arts Center and authorized district administrators to negotiate the contract with the company.

The board approved the selection following presentations by multiple design‑build teams. Jose Reyes, president and CEO of D Wilson Construction, described the firm’s K‑12 and performing‑arts experience and said district leadership and the contractor would work together to set priorities and budgets early in the design process. “These facilities are very expensive too. The range, if I’m not mistaken, can be anywhere between low end $700, high end $900 a square foot depending on complexity,” Reyes said during his presentation.

Board members heard an earlier presentation from a competing firm represented by Sergio Linus, who described the design‑build approach as providing a single point of accountability. “The design build method gives 1 point of accountability, and that would be Trident Construction,” Linus said.

The board moved the agenda items for the Performing Arts Center into executive session earlier in the meeting; when trustees returned to open session they voted on the contract selection. A motion to select D Wilson was made by Mr. Vidale and seconded by Mr. Lopez; the motion passed. The board also voted to authorize administration to negotiate the contract with D Wilson; that motion passed as well.

Trustees and the selected team discussed schedule, contingency planning and community engagement during public presentations. D Wilson’s team said design and preconstruction activities would include community input, site due diligence and early budgeting work; the firm estimated a typical preconstruction window of roughly three to six months to get to a clearer cost and schedule picture. The design team advised that some site and utility work can be phased to begin earlier while drawings are finalized.

Reyes and D Wilson staff also described familiar project risks, including supply‑chain and tariff pressures that can affect schedules and equipment procurement. The firm said it would plan conservatively for schedule and cost contingencies and would work with the district to identify priorities and alternatives to protect the program and budget.

The selection starts the next step: administration is authorized to negotiate performance terms with D Wilson. Trustees did not adopt a final construction contract at the meeting; the authorization allows district staff to complete contract negotiations and return with a final agreement for board approval.