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Liberty Hill board narrows contractor choices, sets not-to-exceed budget for renovation review
Summary
Board discussed multiple demolition/renovation bids for a Liberty Hill facility, noted a lack of asbestos in initial testing, asked for detailed scope reviews and site visits, and agreed to a not-to-exceed budget figure (about $85,000) pending further bids and negotiations.
The Liberty Hill board discussed contractor bids and next steps for a demolition-and-remodel job at a local facility, emphasizing local contractor review, scope clarity and budget guardrails.
Unidentified staff introduced the project and summarized the bids, saying the work planned would take the building to a shell, salvage selected fixtures and include alternates such as floor scarification. "We have opening everything up ... No hidden surprises in the walls," the staff said when describing the scope and reason for thorough site reviews.
Staff presented a range of proposals and noted different scopes: the most detailed bid came in at $98,121 with a $9,600 alternate for additional work; hazardous-materials removal estimates previously reviewed ranged roughly between $25,000 and $35,000. Staff also said one local firm based in Liberty Hill responded and appeared competitive after a site visit.
Board member Mark Hutton raised a specific concern about electrical work, asking, "I'm wondering about the electrical — I'm not seeing that anywhere," and staff confirmed the solicitation had requested a "quad box" near the panel and that final electrical installation could be a separate line item or clarification during scope review.
After discussing travel costs, timeframes (one bidder quoted about 25 days while others estimated roughly 7–14 business days), and the benefit of second site visits, members agreed to narrow the field and conduct deeper scope reviews. Staff reported initial environmental testing found no asbestos.
On budget, staff ran high-end scenarios and noted that a combination of VISTA's full price plus maximum hazard removal would total about $81,000. "So let's say 85," one member suggested during the discussion as a round not-to-exceed figure. Board members also discussed a contingency; one participant called $100,000 "comfortable" as a ceiling for surprises. Mark Hutton then said, "I'll make a motion to approve," and the presiding officer seconded the motion. The transcript records the motion and a second but does not include a roll-call vote or tally.
The board directed staff to obtain full bid packages from the other respondents, schedule follow-up site visits and deeper scope reviews for a short list of contractors, and attempt to negotiate with the preferred local bidder before returning for final contract approval.
Next steps: staff will return with detailed comparison reports and recommended contract language clarifying electrical scope and any hazardous‑materials work before the board takes a final award vote.
