ECISD trustees hear construction progress and cost revisions for Bond 2023 projects

Trustees of Ector County ISD on March 24 heard progress reports on major Bond 2023 projects and were asked to approve several procurement and contract steps after administrators described higher-than-expected cost estimates for a group of priority repairs and renovations.

A district construction presenter summarized photos and video from the new CTE campus and other sites, saying the CTE facility is roughly “52%” of funds expended and nearer “60% complete” on-site, and added: “We expect this school to be ready to be open from June to July.” The board was shown foundation work, underground electrical conduit, an elevator pit and interior finish work at the middle school and Permian High School’s new auditorium (stage extension, orchestra pit, acoustic treatments and seating just above 1,000 seats).

Consultants and district staff told trustees that several smaller job orders—part of the priority 1 and 2 list of 24 projects—returned construction quotes exceeding earlier estimates. David Finley of the district’s consultant team said cost increases reflect an aggregate of issues: updated tariffs, aged facility-assessment baselines, changes in local building-code interpretation and discovery of additional work once demolition begins. ‘‘Those things happen over and over again,’’ Finley said, describing how a small measured quantity in an assessment can become much larger once crews open walls or floors.

Board members pressed staff about contingencies and whether the district must pull funding from other bond priorities. In response, the district said it is reassigning budget within the priority 1 and 2 allocations and would not yet draw from nonpriority funds. The presenter said the team has identified roughly $4.2 million in scope reductions to help offset higher bids.

The board approved several related items on the consent agenda and business docket: pre-construction services with a construction-manager-at-risk for transportation-facility renovations, approval of a list of bond purchases over $100,000 (including two new AmStar packages for Hayes Elementary for about $2,000,000 and HVAC work for $888,000), and delegation to the superintendent to negotiate individual job orders under existing job-order contracts once final quotes are vetted.

Trustees also voted to cancel RFQ #26-09 for roofing projects and rebid the work as an RFP to allow strategic bundling of five remaining roofs; administration and a Gallagher Construction representative told the board the rebid is intended to increase competition and secure better pricing. The motion to cancel and rebid was approved with one abstention recorded during the roll-call portion of the meeting.

The meeting record shows administrators repeatedly committed to continued vetting of scope and budgets and to using contingency funds within the priority 1 and 2 bond budget where appropriate. The board set no new policy changes at the meeting and indicated a desire for clearer public reporting of contingency movements and budget-line adjustments as projects progress.

The board moved into closed session under Texas Government Code provisions later in the evening; the public portion concluded at 8:02 p.m.