Rogers Aldermen To Consider $3.4 Million Appropriation For Soccer Complex

Monday, August 11, 2014

ROGERS -- Aldermen on Tuesday will consider using $3.4 million in reserve money to build the soccer complex in Veterans Park.

About half that amount, $1.8 million, will be returned to the reserve fund when a second draw is made from the $135.4 million bond package approved by voters in 2011. The second draw will likely be occur in 2015, city officials said.

Meeting Information

Rogers City Council

The Rogers City Council is to meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers at City Hall, 303 W. Chestnut St. Committee meetings, which are open to the public, begin at 6:15 p.m. in conference room No. 1. Enter the building on the northeast side.

On the agenda:

• A proposal appropriating $22,000 from Act 833 fund to the small tools and equipment fund at the Rogers Fire Department.

• An ordinance repealing a contract with NEC for repair of a portion of West Drive because the contract amount was incorrect. The amended $43,440 contract is up for review as well.

• A resolution expressing the willingness of the city to use federal-aid money.

• A change order for $33,000 with J. Johnson Construction for the Pleasant Ridge Road emergency repair project.

• Accepting a $3.3 million federal grant for apron projects at Rogers Municipal Airport and awarding the project to low bidders Emery Sapp and Sons Inc. and Garver LLC.

• Accepting the final plant of the Pinnacle Hills Office Park on J.B. Hunt Road.

"We estimate the entire complex will cost ($3.4 million) to build. By appropriating the money in a lump sum, we will be able to seek bids and proceed at a faster pace than if we returned to the council to ask for money each time we were ready to award a contract," said David Hook, facilities development manager.

Each contract will have to be approved by aldermen, but not the appropriation if the ordinance is approved Tuesday.

The complex will have five lighted soccer fields, a concession stand with restroom facilities and ample parking. One of the fields will be built to championship specifications to attract state and national soccer tournaments.

The first contract for the complex is also on the Tuesday council agenda.

"The $1.2 million contract is with Mid-America Sports Construction. The contract calls for the final grading of the fields, the installation of a drainage system and the laying of sod on all but one field. Mid-America is scheduled to put an artificial surface on the championship field which will allow it to be used for football, soccer or lacrosse," Hook said.

The artificial turf surface will be the first artificial surface in the city park system, said Rick Stocker, recreation director.

"Both high schools have the artificial turf system (on their football fields) that will be on the soccer field. It's a much softer artificial surface than the original AstroTurf systems several year ago. AstroTurf was nothing more than a carpet on top of about a half-inch of rubber on a concrete base. We called it fuzzy concrete," Stocker said.

The new system is built on a bed of steel. Several tons of finely ground rubber is worked into the 3-inch long fibers of artificial surface, making the surface much softer for the player, Stocker said.

Street Department workers did the rough grading on the soccer complex, said Frankie Guyll, street superintendent.

"It was decided the Street Department could get the rough grading done faster and for a much lower cost saving the taxpayers money," Guyll said.

The street crew also installed a storm water drainage system and did some additional work on a small creek on the south side of the soccer fields.

Additional contracts will be awarded for lighting, the construction of concession stand and restroom, maintenance equipment and fixtures associated with the complex. Street Department crews will build the parking lots, Hook said.

While not directly tied to the soccer field project, aldermen are being asked to approve $130,000 for purchase of a topsoil sifter.

"We do plan to use the sifter to remove the rocks from the dirt at the soccer complex, but we have several other projects it will be used for as well. The machine sifts the top soil, making the dirt finer and removes the majority of rocks in the soil," Guyll said.

NW News on 08/11/2014