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Willis ISD awards emergency work after sanitary line misconnection at Lynn Lucas; fiber cut during parking-lot prep will require further work
Summary
Chad Jones told the board Aug. 1 that Willis ISD discovered a severed 4-inch PVC line at Lynn Lucas Middle School that had been discharging chemically treated water into a storm catch basin and awarded emergency repair work to Stewart Builders under existing contracts.
Chad Jones, who presided at the Aug. 1 special meeting in the absence of Board President Kyle Hagermeyer, told trustees that district staff discovered in mid-May a significant water discharge from a 4-inch PVC line originating at the central plant at Lynn Lucas Middle School.
After reviewing historical construction drawings, staff determined that the line had originally been a sanitary sewer line but at some point had been severed and redirected into a nearby storm catch basin at the northeast corner of a new science classroom addition. Jones reported the discharge contained chemically treated water and that the line needs to be reconnected to an approved sanitary sewer system.
"Given that source of the water... the discharge contained chemically treated water, the line must be properly reconnected to an approved sanitary sewer system," Jones said, explaining that emergency purchasing policy requires immediate notification to the board followed by written notice and, for emergency procurement, continued competitive requirements under board policy CH local.
Willis ISD solicited cost-plus bids from vendors under existing district contracts. The district received two bids and awarded the work to the lowest bidder, Stewart Builders, under the district's existing contract terms; Jones said the vendor's fee was 12 percent of the project completion cost.
During preparation for high-school parking-lot additions the district reported this week that a Willis ISD fiber line was cut. Technology staff (identified in the meeting as Steve and Shannon) marked underground utilities and advised contractors; staff said the contractor discovered additional lines in the work area and that district fiber in the path of two or three parking lots had been privately interconnected. The district's fiber vendor suggested boring under the football field as an option; Gamma (a referenced vendor) agreed that either option could be used. Jones said the district will bring a final solution and cost estimate at the August meeting.
Board members asked for cost estimates. A staff speaker said the expected cost to repair the fiber route should be no more than $10,000 to $12,000, based on meetings with multiple companies.
No formal vote was recorded on the emergency purchase at the special meeting; staff reported the award and indicated a follow-up board item will be presented in August with final details for the fiber repair option.
