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CONTRACT K-1920-112: A CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN THE NORMAN MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY AND THE OKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,950 FOR THE REAVES PARK SOUTHEAST BASEBALL FIELDS IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.
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BACKGROUND: On 13 October 2015, the citizens of Norman voted to fund the Norman Forward Quality of Life projects with a limited term ½% sales tax increase for 15 years. This initiative included a number of high priority projects identified in the 2014 Library Master Plan Update, the 2009 Norman Parks and Recreation Master Plan and additional projects designed to provide recreational opportunities for Norman residents. One such project was the reconstruction of the Reaves Park Sports Complex. The project will ultimately provide a home for all of the youth baseball and softball in town at one park, instead of the current situation where the sports are split between Reaves and Griffin Parks. In turn, that will allow Griffin Park to be a soccer-only complex, while we will also construct a new Park Maintenance Facility to make room at Reaves Park for the relocated softball/baseball fields from Griffin Park.
DISCUSSION: The Reaves Park Sports Complex Project design contract was awarded in 2018 to Halff Associates and the Construction Manager at Risk contract was awarded in 2019 to FLINTCO, LLC. We are currently awaiting the final set of drawings and specifications for the project, and intend to begin getting quotes to the extent that our project budget will allow. Work included in the Phase I work at Reaves will begin in the spring of 2020. The current design for this first phase of work shows the existing 4-plex of baseball fields along Constitution Street (the “Southeast Complex”) to remain in-place, but with some work being done to improve the playing fields, irrigation, and fencing. A future phase of the overall Reaves Park Master Plan will re-visit these fields to replace the restroom and concession building, change the drainage and lighting on all four fields and improve the paving and parking areas directly adjacent to the Southeast Complex. The Reaves Park Ad-hoc Committee has had several meetings during the design phase of the project to determine the project priorities for all of the work at the park, which have included representatives from the Medieval Fair and the Ball Clubs of Norman (the youth baseball program for Norman) on the Committee.
Recently, there has been a request from the Ball Clubs of Norman to go ahead with some of the work planned at the southeast ball fields to get those fields ready for play this season. By doing this, they will be able to shift a significant portion of their league play over to Reaves this spring, which would take the four northern-most fields at Griffin Park out of service and allow the planning of their conversion to soccer to potentially happen quicker than anticipated. The members of the Ball Clubs of Norman have talked to the field crews that manage the Bricktown Ballpark for the Oklahoma City Dodgers to do the work on those four fields. FLINTCO has also been getting cost estimates for the work as they prepare to bid all of the Reaves Park project in the coming months.
The work will include edging and laser-grading the fields, setting bases, building pitcher’s mounds, screed leveling and adding screed sand and “Dodger Mix” infield surfacing to the fields to make them ready for league play by March, 2020. The lowest and best quotation for the project was received from the Oklahoma City Dodgers, in the amount of $46,950. This is a turn-key project below the competitive bid limit dollar amount requirements ($50,000); and Oklahoma City Dodgers has provided all the necessary affidavits and proof of insurance for the project. The work from Oklahoma City Dodgers will also carry a one-year warranty along with all the relevant warranties that will come with this type of work and materials.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that City Council approve Contract K-1920-112 with Oklahoma City Dodgers, Inc., in the amount of $46,950 for the work necessary to make improvements to the four baseball fields in the existing Southeast Complex at Reaves Park. Funding is available in the Norman Forward Sales Tax Fund, Reaves Park Sports Complex Project - Construction (account 51792205-46101; project NFB006).