Sunbury committee reviews financing plan and bid strategy for JR Smith Park improvements

Sunbury Parks and Recreation Committee members were briefed Nov. 5 on a financing ordinance and upcoming bid process for improvements at JR Smith Park.

Staff told the committee the ordinance on the city council agenda is a first reading and "allows for a maximum borrowing of $3,500,000," but that the city "already has a million dollars" identified for the project. The same staff member said the engineer's estimate, which includes additional connection work near the Lyons Building and some sidewalk work along Cherry Street, is "somewhere around 4,000,000, give or take a few bucks." No council action on the ordinance was expected that night.

To preserve flexibility and manage cost, staff described a single bid package with a base bid that would include site work and utilities and an alternate for all playground equipment and play surfacing. "The alternate will be included. They will submit a price for the alternate," staff said, explaining that separating equipment as an alternate will allow the city to decide later whether to accept the equipment price or contract that work separately.

Staff said the project is being advertised in the coming weeks, with a bidders conference planned, and "we are looking at doing the bid opening the second week in December." Officials said that timeline will be finalized and reported back at the next meeting.

What happens next: the ordinance proceeds through the council's three-readings process; staff will finalize and advertise bid documents, hold a bidders conference and return to the committee with bid results and a recommendation on whether to accept the alternate equipment pricing.

Source material: committee discussion Nov. 5, 2025; staff comments on ordinance, engineer estimate and bidding plan.