4B recommends adding one synthetic infield at Jobson Park

The Town of Sunnyvale 4B board voted to recommend that the town council approve a modified bid to include one synthetic turf infield at Jobson Park. The recommendation passed by voice/hand vote during the joint 4B/council meeting with a procedural tally announced as 7–0 in favor.

Staff framed the recommendation as Option 1: award the base bid with deductive alternates that remove one field and some amenities so the budget can be directed to turfing a single field. The presenter said staff had spoken with three synthetic-turf vendors and "we're hearing that around $900,000 is where we would expect to come in" for a full field, and that the package includes an owner contingency of about $265,000 and an overall project budget of $8.3 million.

Several council members and staff warned that installing synthetic turf on more than one field would likely require a full rebid because the bid was written with only one deductive alternate for a single field. Staff explained that expansive soils on site increase excavation and stabilization costs and that changing multiple fields from natural surface to synthetic would materially alter bidders' pricing.

The 4B motion was made by a member of the joint body and seconded; the board "approved" the recommendation and the chair confirmed the motion passed. Staff and members noted the recommendation is advisory: the town council will consider and vote on the item at its regular meeting.

The board also discussed contingency use and phasing options, with staff saying adding a pavilion later could be possible if contingency funds remain. Residents who spoke during public comment repeatedly urged that Jobson Park remain a community park used primarily for practices, not tournaments, and asked for strong maintenance commitments and restroom facilities.