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District staff report multiple change orders for Justin Garza athletic complex; multi-prime delivery cited as a factor
Summary
Administration presented change-order summaries for Increment 2 and Increment 3 of the Justin Garza High School athletic complex, explained the multi-prime construction method and said change orders will return for board action on Sept. 23. Trustees asked about drawing discrepancies and architect review practices.
Director Rodriguez presented summaries of change orders related to the multi-prime contract packages for the Justin Garza High School athletic complex during the Sept. 9 meeting. Increment 2 covers press boxes, bleachers, scoreboards, block buildings (concessions and restrooms), maintenance yard and perimeter fencing; Increment 3 includes basin infill, futsal courts, additional restrooms and athletic lighting.
Rodriguez explained the district's construction delivery method: "We're currently using multi prime delivery method, which breaks the construction project into multiple contracts... The school district contracts directly with several specialized trade contractors... general contractor method is one contract, one point of responsibility, and all the change orders would be in one document. In our case ... it's several contracts, more control but more coordination, and all of the change orders are several documents." He said staff reviewed the change orders with the district's construction manager and will return the items for board action at the Sept. 23 meeting.
Trustees questioned the source of many change-order items. Several entries were traced to discrepancies between field conditions and contract drawings, ADA/grade issues and code or health-department requirements. Trustee Sellers asked whether the architect had re-reviewed drawings prior to construction; Rodriguez said the district performs constructability reviews and requests architects to review plans, particularly when health-department requirements or code revisions are implicated.
Rodriguez said the multi-prime method can make a change-order record look large because each trade files separate change documents even though the aggregate change remains within acceptable statutory percentages; he added that Increment 3 is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
Ending: Staff recommended the change-order packages return to the Sept. 23 board agenda for formal action. Trustees requested continued attention to plan review and constructability checks to reduce downstream change orders.
