SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. — The Sumner County Board of Education on Jan. 14 approved bids for a new Hendersonville High School baseball building and approved a budget amendment to increase the project allocation after bids came in higher than earlier estimates.

Board members voted to accept the contractor bids and later approved an amendment to the general-purpose budget that raised the project total to cover the actual bid amount and related work. Staff told the board the board previously estimated $400,000 for construction but the low bid arrived at about $480,000; the amendment brought the total funding for the project to about $520,000 when ancillary site work and electrical work are included.

Context and partnerships: Staff said the facility is on a long-standing city-county park agreement with Hendersonville dating to 1989, and that the city provides and maintains the playing fields under that agreement. The building project followed tornado damage to the park and tree loss; Corps of Engineers requirements and a needed survey increased upfront costs. Board staff said the city’s longstanding cooperative approach made the project feasible and that booster-club fundraising would likely supplement interior equipment and turf work not covered by the board’s construction contract.

Capital budget context: During the presentation staff reviewed the district’s capital program, saying the current multi-year capital budget totals roughly $36.3 million when carryover and additional commission allocations are included. Staff said the board is holding a $1 million reserve for contingencies and that several major projects — Portland football stadium, Station Camp and Gallatin track projects, and North Sumner Elementary bidding — are on the near-term schedule.

Why the amendment: Board members asked whether the additional amount covered the full scope of work or whether booster-club fundraising would be used for turf and other items. Staff said the board’s funds cover the building construction, permitting and some site work; the boosters continue to raise funds for turf replacement, netting and equipment that staff said would exceed the construction contract.

Vote and next steps: Board members approved the bids and passed the budget amendment to increase the allocated amount. Staff said the project will move forward with the selected contractor and that additional equipment purchases will be coordinated with booster organizations and staff reports returned to the board as needed.

Ending: Board members described the project as an example of intergovernmental cooperation and said the building would serve both the school and the community park users.