Point Boro's New Football Lights To Cost $183K

The Point Pleasant Borough School District plans to replace football field lighting, with a contractor completing the work for spring at a cost of $183,000.

The district originally went to bid for the project in June, but rejected the one bid, from John J. Fracas Inc., which came in at $293,000. Superintendent Vincent Smith said the school district put out another bid request, and then received five interested contractors, bidding $183,000 to $279,000.

“The only bidder the first time came back, and submitted another bid that was $110,000 less,” Smith said. Fracas ended up being the lowest bid, and the school district awarded the work to Fracas at its November meeting.

“Rejecting the bids paid off,” Smith said, adding that the project is now under budget.

The project will not just replace broken lights but upgrade the lighting. “This is top of the line athletic lighting,” Smith said.

The idea is for the new lights to illuminate the field in time for spring sports, he said.

“Hopefully it’s ready for spring events, lacrosse, and then the fall soccer and football,” said the superintendent.

The base bid from Fracas was $195,200, but an alternate option to route the conduit for the new lighting system would shave $12,200 off the cost, according to the bid, bringing the total to $183,000.

Board members asked if the district could investigate installing the old football lights onto a field that has none, such as the softball field, but the district would have to investigate whether or not that was possible.