News
Committee discusses aquatic center
By AMANDA KIMBLE
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 12:10 PM CST
After months of planning, Stephenville is another step closer to making the city’s outdoor aquatic center a reality. The City Council’s Planning and Development Committee reviewed bids on the facility Tuesday during a work session and decided to recommend awarding the bid to Stephenville-based Jay Mills Contracting. The council will vote on the issue at a later date. The city sought bids in two parts, “Contract A” being the site work, paving, utilities, and the bath house, and “Contract B” covering the facility’s swimming pools and pool decks. Nine companies returned bids on the project, with only five bidding on both contracts. Jay Mills not only had the advantage of being the only locally owned company submitting a bid, but was also able to offer a bid far below the expectation of the engineering firm that designed the facility. In a letter from Project Manager Bryan Ziegler of The C.T Brannon Corporation, the Tyler-based engineering firm hired by the city to complete the engineering aspects of the project, Ziegler said the project would cost almost $3.5 million. Jay Mills Contacting was the apparent low bidder, ringing it at 6.1-percent, or $215,231, below the second lowest bidder, C.R. Reynolds, Inc. of Sherman, and 18.3-percent, or $638,285, below the highest, The Fain Group, Inc. of Fort Worth. “We feel the overall project bid of $3,489,074.90 is outstanding and is also well within what was expected by The Brannon Corporation,” Ziegler wrote. In addition Zeigler’s letter, which was addressed to the city’s Director of Community Services, Drew Wells, said Jay Mills intends to subcontract with Robertson Commercial Pools, a company he said had “satisfactorily constructed several pools designed by The Brannon Corporation in recent years.” For now, the Aquatics Center plans offer more than a simple swimming pool. The main pool area will include a lap swimming/exercise area, a zero-depth entry, which will provide an area for small children and include a children’s play structure, and a mid-size to large waterslide. The bath house will contain dressing areas, restroom facilities, a concession stand, managers office, lifeguard area, pump and equipment housing, and serve as the main admission area to the Aquatics Center. The bids also included alternate bids for a lazy river and spray ground.
The City Parks Advisory Board is scheduled to review the current plans Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in the City Hall training room, to provide additional input that could be considered by the council.