Brentwood construction company of Great Bend won the bid to build a practice building for Barton Community College for $362,990.
Awarding the contract to build a 100 by 150-foot steel building was a late addition to Thursday’s agenda for the BCC Board of Trustees meeting. Dean of Administration Mark Dean said additional indoor practice space is needed now that the gym floor in the Kirkman Building has been replaced.
The variety and large number of sports make scheduling practices difficult, college officials reported. The new facility will provide practice space for soccer, track (throwing), baseball and softball.
Bid requests were sent to local vendors and provided to the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce plan room. Brentwood submitted the lowest of five bids, with the high bid being over $500,000. The building will have 20-foot walls and will be built near the clubhouse on a softball field that isn’t used. It will have a water fountain but no rest rooms, as those are available at the clubhouse, Dean said.
Work will start Aug. 15 and is expected to take 100 days. The college will be responsible for adding lights and gas and water connections. Eventually indoor turf will be added.
Money for the new building won’t come from the general fund. Instructional revenue and student fees will pay for the project.
In other business Thursday, trustees:
• Signed a resolution exempting the college from Senate Substitute for House Bill 2052 for the next four years. Starting Monday, colleges that don’t exempt themselves from the new law must allow conceal and carry weapons or provide guards and metal detectors at entrances. “We will have to post new signs,” Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman said.
• Renewed the policy for property, casualty and workers comp insurance with EMC through Conrade Insurance Group, which has been the college’s provider for approximately 10 years. Dean said the renewal rates are approximately 7 percent higher than the current premium. In addition, the deductible on property insurance has increased from $5,000 to $25,000. One reason for property increases is the increase in the value of campus facilities. Although several companies expressed an interest in bidding on the package, Dean said only EMC presented a final proposal. The total is $344,288, which includes cyber-liability insurance for the first time, for an additional $6,148.
• Met in executive session for 40 minutes, to discuss personnel. Board President Mike Johnson said part of the discussion involved the annual evaluation of the college president. In July the board will vote on whether to extend Dr. Heilman’s three-year contract by another year. “The board continues to be very impressed,” Johnson said. “Dr. Heilman continues to do an excellent job.”
• Approved new personnel as previously reported. Randy Jeter received a management staff contract as director of Fort Leavenworth Learning Services, and Marc Benjamin received a head coach contract as the new softball coach.
• Said thanks to personnel from St. Rose Ambulatory and Surgery Center who attended the meeting. St. Rose was recognized for receiving the 2013 Partnership in Education Award.