Nelson County board approves $1.6 million plan for Nelson County High softball field, delays batter tunnel

The Nelson County Board of Education voted June 18 to approve construction contracts to build a new Nelson County High School softball field while deferring work on a separate batter-tunnel building because of scope and cost concerns.

Alex Martin, the board presenter, told members the project is an early-phase extension of the high school campus and described a two-round bidding process with design partner Studio Kramer and school administrators. "When those bids came back in, Codell Construction along with Studio Kramer and ourselves felt like they were over budget," Martin said, adding that a second round of bids returned "almost $500,000" less overall.

The presentation broke the work into three bid packages and an alternate for a batter-tunnel hitting facility. Martin flagged a large discrepancy in the alternate bids—"Music Construction" priced the alternate near $800,000 while a separate bidder, Parko, bid about $324,000—calling that a sign the alternate’s scope was not clear. "We don't feel like a $800,000 building is kind of what we're after," Martin said, and recommended removing the batter building from the immediate contract awards and re-evaluating its scope later.

Martin said the board’s recommendation preserves custom dugouts rather than a prefabricated option, even though the prefab dugouts would save roughly $56,000. On recommended contract amounts, the presenter cited an aggregate construction allocation of about $1.6 million for the field; he later listed a recommended contract amount of $1,308,678 and named Beus Construction and KCC Mechanical (for $26,337) in his summary of awards. The transcript records both Music Construction and Beus Construction mentioned at different points in the presentation.

Board members asked how the prefab dugouts compared to custom construction and pressed on geotechnical issues. A contractor representative identified in the record as Mr. Davis explained that prefabricated dugouts are simpler "post with chain link fence and a top" while the custom option uses concrete blocks and interior trim. Martin said a geotechnical report showed unclear soil at the proposed batter-building location, which could require excavation and replacement of soil and materially increase costs; he said moving the batter building location on campus could reduce that risk.

Martin emphasized timing constraints for the field work: the outfield must be seeded by Oct. 1 for the field to be ready for the following spring season. "That's why we kind of have to make a decision now," he said. He also said Coach Parsons "is our softball coach" and was heavily involved in the design process and supports the new field.

A board member moved to "approve the Nelson County High School softball bids as presented." Another board member seconded the motion. The board approved the motion by voice vote; the transcript records an "Aye" response and no recorded opposition. The motion passed.

The board deferred final decisions on the batter-tunnel alternate pending a tighter scope and geotechnical follow-up. The board adjourned following the vote.

Why it matters: The board’s vote funds the major field work now while postponing a potentially expensive enclosed batter facility until scope, site and soil issues are clarified. That approach reduces upfront spending and preserves time-sensitive field work needed to meet seeding and seasonal schedules.