Caledonia aldermen have finally decided to install LED lights at two of the town’s four soccer fields at Ola J. Pickett Park.
In its third special-call meeting on the subject, the Caledonia Board of Aldermen on Thursday accepted a bid from Collins Electric Contractor Inc. The measure passed 4-1, with Quinn Parham opposed.
Four bids were submitted for the project.
“We have taken bids on LED lights for the first two soccer fields and also bid on the field for metal halide lights,” Matt Forrester of Calvert-Spradling Engineering told the board. “In addition, we’ve taken alternate bids to light the other two fields with either LED or metal halide. In either situation, for the first two fields, the low base bid would come in under budget.”
Collins Electric Contractor submitted the low bids for both the main bid and alternate bids.
Collins’ bid to provide LED lights for the two fields is $163,135. To light the fields with metal halide lights would cost $130,323.
The town’s budget for the project, based on grants, is $170,000.
The low bid from Collins to add lighting for the third and fourth fields is approximately $142,000, and aldermen quickly rejected the idea of lighting those fields, citing budget constraints.
The Mississippi Development Authority is providing $120,000 for the project, and the Mississippi Legislature is providing $50,000.
“If the town elects to go with LED lights, once you add the engineering fees and 10-percent contingency fee, the town’s cash commitment would be $19,385,” Forrester said. “With metal halides, the town’s cash position would be a savings of $13,428, which could be repurposed for other uses.”
Parham argued in support of the less expensive metal halide lighting.
“While LED lights are more efficient, and we would save money over time, it’s not a significant amount,” Parham said. “I guess it comes down to whether we are ready to go over budget on this.”
Mayor Mitch Wiggins said the additional cost of going with LED lights would not be covered by the town’s general fund.
“If we had to pay it right now, I don’t feel like our budget could stand that between now and the end of the year,” Wiggins said. “So that would require us dipping into reserves or exploring some kind of financial option.”
Alderman Matt Furnari made a motion to accept the bid with LED lighting.
“I would like to see us go with the LED option,” Furnari said. “I know it’s going to cost the town a little more up front, but it’s going to be a better solution in the end. It will move the park in the direction it needs to go in with the right mindset of progressing forward and not staying where we are at.”
The town hopes to have the lighting installed and ready for use when its youth soccer season begins in September.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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