The Jay Town Council discussed priorities for phasing of the Bray-Hendricks Park renovation construction with Dewberry Engineering’s Crystal Weatherington Tuesday night, focusing on stormwater runoff, parking and which fields were needing to be completed first before it approved an offer for a line of credit for up to $1.5 million.
Weatherington had created a schematic for council members showing the first phase plan with field placement, sidewalks and water runoff. Mayor Shon Owens pointed out that cost is the top issue, which is why the plan is separated into phases, with grading and stormwater runoff directing the flow of construction. Weatherington said renovating the park in phases instead of doing all the earthwork at once as they add fields will allow the design to be implemented and keep the costs down.
“I like that idea,” said Owens. “It allows us to use our funds in the most appropriate way. Whether grading is $1.5 million or $2 million for the whole park to be graded, we could still get something with $1 million in grading or whatever it may be.”
There was discussion about whether chainlink and/or safety fencing and their costs will fit in the phasing and where to locate parking, including where construction equipment should enter and exit.
Weatherington said she would take the changes discussed and work them into the drawings and bring them back to the next council meeting. She said she plans to break down all the costs the contractors gave her in lump sums to get an idea of their per unit price and use that to build the budgets for all three phases with line-item bids. Her goal is to finish that this week and make sure the phases fit within the budget. The town plans to have an advertisement for bids ready at the next council meeting.
Jay Operations Manager Eric Seib said the town is working to supply lights for the temporary playing field, located within the park property, to allow Jay Recreational to practice for the upcoming season.
He said Escambia River Electric Co-operative (EREC) will put in six poles that will hold 16 lights each, much like street lights, which will cost the town $25 per month per pole. They will be wired above ground with no underground conduit so they can be removed. The poles will go back to EREC and the town will keep the lights.
The town will also install two fences, a 6-foot fence for the outfield and an 8-foot fence for the infield, plus a net between to catch fly balls. A water spigot could be installed for concessions as well as an electric pole and port-o-potties could possibly be used. Surface for parking to keep dirt being tracked on roads was discussed but no decision was made. Seib said the goal is for the town to provide a temporary place for sports activities while the park renovation is going on.
The town is seeking money for the park renovation and Seib told the council that it was the deadline to accept or decline an offer made by one bank that would take 15 years to repay. Seib said he met with two other banks who offered the town a line of credit of up to $1.5 million, which Seib said is more flexible for the town as it works on the park phases and would allow a quicker repay.
Councilwoman Jane Hayes made a motion to pursue one of the two bank’s line of credit offers and decline the 15-year loan, which was seconded by Owens. The motion carried unanimously.
