Cost for Dist. 211 artificial turf project rises by $2.2 million

Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 officials thought they had a clear path to the end zone in their quest to install artificial turf at the district's five schools.

But it looks like the district caught its cleats on a seam, as board members vented Thursday upon learning the project will cost $2.2 million more than first estimated.

That brings the total to $8.7 million.

"This is a gross failure," board member George Brandt said Thursday of the surprise 33 percent cost hike.

The board still narrowly approved the work 4-3. Brandt, Susan Kenley-Rupnow and Bill Lloyd voted no, saying they hoped the district's credibility with the community wouldn't suffer.

Despite the surge in costs, Fremd and Schaumburg high schools are still on track to get turf and new tracks installed in September, with the other schools up next year.

Though drainage issues had been discussed in detail, Superintendent Roger Thornton said officials omitted from earlier budget estimates the $300,000 cost of installing underground detention ponds at four of the five stadiums.

Only Palatine High already has adequate draining and doesn't need a retention pond, he said.

Brandt blamed the mistake on W-T Engineering, which was hired to design site plans. He called the Hoffman Estates firm "incompetent."

But Thornton said he'd take responsibility for what he called a "human error."

"We ended up missing a very major factor," said an apologetic Thornton. "I'm embarrassed by it. I regret it."

W-T President Scott Triphahn declined to comment on the error, saying only he was proud to be working on a "great project for the kids."

The rest of the cost increase is a result of bids coming in about $200,000 more per school than expected. Thornton blamed that on rising motor fuel costs. Those bids were unsealed Thursday morning.

He said some of the extra money will come from other district construction projects that came in under budget, and noted the district is saving money on its new employee health insurance plan.

But a $600,000 gap remains, which Thornton has proposed making up through a transfer from the district's working-cash fund. He noted the district has earned $1.78 million in interest since 2005, when voters approved a tax-rate increase.

Thornton said he still feels the district is keeping its promise to taxpayers on how the referendum money would be spent. The district has reserved the right to make such transfers but has never done so, he said.

The turf project initially was to be fully funded by proceeds from two legal settlements and the sale of property to Palatine Township Elementary District 15.

District 211 board President Robert LeFevre also said he regretted the error but still wants to move forward with the project, saying it would benefit many students.

"I chalk it up to an error, a serious one, and not one that I'd like to see repeated," he said.

Lloyd was the only member to vote against the turf project before, and on Thursday he again said the district should place more of a priority on academics vs. athletics. He said just because the district could pay for the turf doesn't mean it should.

"Are we willing to pay any cost to make that happen?" he said.