By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
San Benito Consolidated Independent School District (SBCISD) Superintendent of Schools Fred Perez didn’t mince words when he told elected officials the track at Bobby Morrow Stadium is in poor condition.
“We are starting to hear from teams that they will not participate in our relays because it’s that hard,” Superintendent Perez said. “So it is time to replace the track.”
He made this statement during a special SBCISD Board of Trustees meeting at the John F. Barron Administration Building on May 28.
It’s a strong opinion because San Benito High School has student-athletes who have excelled in track and field, winning individual district and regional titles for years. Some have advanced to the state meet as well, and practices have always been held at Bobby Morrow Stadium.
“As you know, we have discussed replacing the Bobby Morrow Stadium track for the past two years because it needs to be replaced. We were able to extend its life by another year,” Perez said. “The life of the track is over. Anyone who has ever walked it knows it’s hard.”
Three vendors outside the Rio Grande Valley submitted bids ranging from $400,000 to $500,000 for track removal and replacement work.
According to the SBCISD Finance Department, the project would be funded from the general fund balance.
During the meeting, Perez urged the trustees to adopt FieldTurf, which he said SBCISD has used before and includes a 10-year warranty. Trustees unanimously agreed.
The Georgetown-based company’s bid was the second-highest among the three, at $496,924.
Hellas Construction (based in Austin) submitted a $394,735 bid, and Symmetry Sports Construction (based in Mount Pleasant) submitted a $569,698 bid.
Perez said the track’s age and condition, combined with inaction over the past two years, have led to one outcome — replacement.
Trustees Rudy Corona and Dr. Ariel Cruz-Vela weighed in on questions for Perez about track resurfacing versus replacement, the track color remaining purple, and the bid pricing the board had to consider for replacement only.
“(SBCISD) is on a time crunch. This is what happened last summer. Trustees began discussing the track, but by midsummer they still hadn’t been able to do anything because football season was upon us,” Perez said. “If the (company) sees any breaks, any damage, or anything, that needs to be leveled.”
The track seems to be sufficiently level that a change order won’t be necessary.
Vicky Perez, SBCISD’s Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, said the track payment would be drawn from SBCISD’s fund balance because the purchase is a one-time expense.
“It is in the best interest of the students, and it is a legitimate fund balance purchase,” she said.
Board President Orlando Lopez wanted to clarify for the board that the track had been evaluated by an architect beforehand and that a recommendation to replace it had been made.
According to FieldTurf, the project would take no more than 60 days. The track would be mid-gray, with purple exchange zones and gold lane lines.
Trustee Corona moved that FieldTurf lead the track replacement project, seconded by Trustee Celina Gonzales.