Bid awarded for Othello football field repairs

OTHELLO — Othello School Board members have awarded a $129,007 contract to Desert Sun Landscaping of Moses Lake to rehabilitate the Othello High School football field.

The football field is in poor shape, poor enough that there was a possibility that the high school’s Homecoming game in September would have to be switched to another location. Other Homecoming activities did have to be moved elsewhere.

The bid includes removing and replacing the old grass on the football field and the baseball infield, and building a 6-inch base of sand under the field. Drainage has been an ongoing problem.

Desert Sun was the only bidder. Board member Rob Simmons asked about that, noting that state rules require three bidders. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said district officials talked to three companies last spring, when the project was first discussed, All three submitted a bid, Bullis said, and were contacted again when the board decided to move ahead. They were asked to revise the bids to include 6 inches of sand under the field, rather than 4 inches. But two of them declined to submit an updated bid, Bullis said.

The field was one subject at a board workshop Dec. 5. The workshop included a discussion on the options of artificial turf and grass, but in the end board members opted for the grass field.

At the workshop, Bullis said the work could be done in three to four weeks and wouldn’t impact spring sports.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached at education@columbiabasinherald.com.