The Putnam County School Board has awarded an estimated $417,000 bid for the construction of a new softball facility at Cookeville High School.
The board rejected the previous round of bids due to the costs far exceeding what the board budgeted. Deputy Director of Schools Tim Martin said the project was scaled down to lower the cost.
“We bid it with a locker room and some offices and some things like that, but adding those things did not meet our budget line,” Martin said. “So the building space is there, but the walls will not be there.”
The low bid came from a company called Larseneer. School Board Member Kim Cravens said she wanted to approve the bid contingent upon receiving satisfactory references on Larseneer.
“It just seems that nobody really knew much about them, so I would really like, I think Tim said he would call, and just ask for some references,” Cravens said. “I would like to hear from a couple of people who have worked with them just to make sure that they feel really good about that.”
The school board’s initial budget for the project was an estimated $250,000. Martin said the project was likely not going to get any cheaper.
“Well, you know I’ve turned down all the bids twice, and I still think the price is high, but that’s just what it is in Tennessee right now,” Martin said.
Martin said the facility was much needed as it will provide a space for the softball team to hit during cold and inclement weather.