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Council delays final approval of McArthur Sports Complex contract, asks staff for further vetting
Summary
Council heard a presentation on the McArthur Sports Complex and, amid questions about contractor experience, subs, grading and drainage, voted to send the recommended contract to an April work session for additional review rather than vote to award tonight.
Council members on March 23 paused final action on a staff-recommended construction contract tied to the McArthur Sports Complex after staff described a $13 million construction package that still leaves lighting work to a separate contract.
Parks staff presented the project design for a 72-acre sports campus that would include 12 ballfields of varying sizes, substantial parking and concessions. The package under consideration covers site construction—grading, irrigation, stormwater and parking—estimated at roughly $13 million; staff said lighting is an additional element estimated at about $2.5 million to $2.8 million to be procured separately.
“Once you break this project into its parts…we wanted the professionals who actually do lighting to do the lighting parts,” parks staff said, explaining the modular approach and the oversight layers the city will use during construction. City Manager Hewitt told council the staff packet includes bid tabs, references and the owner’s adviser who will provide oversight.
Several council members pressed staff about vetting the recommended general contractor, asking whether the contractor has specific experience in athletic-field grading and drainage, adequate insurance and performance bonds, and a history of managing subs. Staff said the originally lowest bidder was disqualified for lacking appropriate licensing, that the recommended firm had references and bonds would be secured before work begins, and that the architect, the owner’s adviser and city staff will monitor subs and quality.
Council members said the city cannot afford construction problems that stem from insufficient vetting. Citing the time since the 2016 parks bond and the scale of the investment, one member moved to bring the contract back for more scrutiny at a work session in April rather than vote to award tonight. The motion was seconded and carried. Staff said two weeks would not imperil the overall schedule and agreed to provide additional vetting materials and representatives for a council work session.
The council did not vote to award the construction contract at the March 23 meeting; staff will return with additional information and council direction at the scheduled follow-up work session.
