King Park resurfacing bid rejected after board balks at $239,000 price tag

The Warrington Township Board of Supervisors voted down a motion to award a $239,000 contract to resurface the basketball and tennis courts at King Park, after members said the bid far exceeded the township’s net budget for the project.

The motion to approve the award to the low bidder was moved from the floor and seconded, and prompted extended discussion about prior grant assumptions and capital-project prioritization. A finance summary presented during the discussion showed the net budget for the project as about $137,500 — after a previously listed grant receivable — making the $239,000 bid roughly $101,500, or about 73% over that net amount.

"The bid came in at $239,000 … so if we are considering this we are considering it at $101,500 over budget or 73% over budget," the committee member who presented the budget summary said. He noted the township had applied for the grant twice and not received it.

Supporters urged moving forward so community youth would not lose access to the courts after two years of delays; opponents argued the board should hold new capital projects until the budget is stabilized and earlier capital holds were respected. One supervisor asked whether the bid could be rebid and noted a 60‑day expiration on the quote; township staff said rebidding would likely push the project into the next construction season and might increase costs.

After members recorded a split and an abstention on the voice vote, the chair declared the motion failed. The chair said the board had previously placed a temporary hold on new capital projects while the budget is revisited and clarified that only projects currently in progress would continue to completion without additional budget requests.

What happens next: staff said the township could rebid the project, recheck grant opportunities, or schedule the work for next year; no formal direction to rebid or award was adopted at the meeting.