Board directs concurrent path on Freedom Park field repairs after contractor presents lower-cost options

The Angleton Better Living Corporation voted Sept. 29 to have staff obtain three competitive quotes under Texas purchasing rules and to allow Frost to mobilize immediately to complete field work at Freedom Park while the city pursues parallel work to address drainage and inlet elevation concerns.

Staff summarized prior change-order proposals that initially sought to raise the field — a plan that had produced a Frost subcontractor estimate of about $300,000. Staff told the board Burdett, the design engineer, submitted drainage recommendations to Frost and that Frost returned Change Proposal No. 8, which focuses on exterior drainage by deepening swales and fine grading rather than raising the entire field; that cost estimate in meeting materials was about $240,000.

Andrew Harrison of Frost told the board two months of rain revealed a persistent drainage problem: “The inlet downstream to the retention pond is too high to come all the way back to where the fields are,” he said, describing how the site’s existing elevations limit how deep swales can be dug and still drain. Frost offered two technical approaches: lowering the inlet and regrading the swales, or raising field elevation; each has different cost and schedule implications.

Board members pressed contractors and staff about trenching practices, whether site scraping earlier in the job influenced swell elevation, and the extent of on-site supervision. Frost estimated it could mobilize within two weeks of approval and finish the field in roughly three months, noting weather and material lead times could affect that schedule.

To avoid further delay, a board member moved that the parks director follow Texas local purchasing requirements, obtain three bids, notify ABLC of the results, and authorize Frost to mobilize immediately to finish field work while procurement for drainage/inlet work proceeds. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Staff said that, depending on final quotes and thresholds, the administration may have authority to contract for the lower‑cost vendor without a special board meeting if the amount falls within administrative procurement thresholds.

Staff said they will return to the board with the third quote and further cost detail at the October meeting. The board emphasized the priority of timely completion and asked staff to maintain closer on‑site coordination and reporting to reduce future change orders.