District board approves engineering contract and conceptual design for $5 million baseball-softball complex

The Ottumwa Community School District Board of Education voted to approve an engineering contract and the conceptual design for a proposed $5 million baseball-softball complex, the board decided at its regular meeting.

Board members approved hiring a civil engineering firm to lead the project design and accepted a conceptual layout that would install a turf surface on the district's primary baseball field and a grass surface for the new softball complex. Presenters said using a civil engineer rather than a full architectural team will reduce design fees: "the contract is stipulating is at 3.7% contract on the $5 million," a district presenter said, comparing that to a typical architect fee of 7.5–8.5% for similar projects.

The decision moves the project into a design-and-bid phase. Staff outlined a schedule that calls for a construction design package in July, bid openings in early August and a board approval of bids later that month, with the aim of the complex being available next summer. Presenters also described expected amenities: reduced outfield distances for the baseball field, new dugouts, batting cages, lighting, irrigation and spectator seating for the softball field, and upgrades to a third middle-school/Babe Ruth field.

Supporters on the committee said turf provides more playable days and lower day-to-day maintenance, allowing coaches more practice time. "He's talking thousands more reps than what they would get on a grass field," a committee member said describing the University of Iowa visit that informed the design. Committee members and coaches who visited facilities elsewhere told the board that turf can increase usable time for teams and expand opportunities for community rentals and regional events.

Board members asked about trade-offs, including heat: presenters acknowledged that some turf installations can run several degrees hotter than grass and discussed maintenance and safety practices to mitigate that effect. Staff told the board they are targeting design choices and reduced field dimensions that could narrow the previously discussed cost gap between turf and grass (committee estimates earlier in the planning process ranged roughly $1.2 million to $1.5 million, depending on options).

The motion to approve the engineering contract and conceptual design was made by Morgan Brown and seconded by Dusty Wear; the board approved the motion by voice/raise-of-hands vote. The board directed staff to return with bid documents and cost details in time for the August meeting so members can decide whether to authorize construction contracts.

The board also approved related procedural items that allow the district to proceed with procurement and design without reallocating funds from other projects; presenters said the $5 million allocation has been set aside for the complex and would not affect other district projects.

Next steps: staff will finalize construction-level documents, release the project for bid in early August and present bids to the board for a final decision. No construction contracts were awarded at the meeting.