Topic: Turf not going in this year? According to HD

[Thunders]

This is from new article on HD.

Marshall officials also would prefer to rip up its Joan C. Edwards Stadium Astroturf and replace it with FieldTurf for the coming season, but funding has not been approved.

"We’ve had people come in and give us bids on it," Marcum said. "We’re putting together a proposal to take to (Marshall interim) president (Mike) Farrell in regards to turf. Then we have to go back to the companies and look at framing the time to get it done."

THIS SUCKS!!! I though Joan gave us the money to put the turf in? I bet Angel moved it or Marcum.

[Blade]

Imagine that.

[marshalljeff]

This is an outrage.  An absolute outrage.  I'm really, really feeling Pruett's frustration right now.

[Blade]

Didn't Joan Edwards give $1M for new turf?  Isn't that why she got her name on the stadium?

Hmmm.  I wonder where the money went???  I guess the paranoid aren't so delusional now, huh?

[Mako]

For the legally challenged among us, a reminder that Marshall is a State University and is required by state law to obtain competitive bids on any purchase over a certain dollar amount.

[herdman]

The way I read it the article, it does not say it won't go in this year. It says they are gathering bids, gathering info. on the time frame, and they are passing on the information to the school President.  They could get a public bid out for 30 days, award the bid, get the President's approval, and have it installed by August. Couldn't they?

[2xBison]

no kidding blade.

why in the world would we have to secure funding for something that has already been donate or "secured" from joan.

no wonder bobby p got tired of this BS.

[Blade]

For the legally challenged among us, a reminder that Marshall is a State University and is required by state law to obtain competitive bids on any purchase over a certain dollar amount.

Thanks for the law lesson.  That's not only a state law but good business practice.

Can you tell me what in the state law requires Marshall to find $1M when it has already been donated?  Why would the school need to "appropriate funds" when it was already ear-marked for turf installation?

[herdman]

I believe, even thought the $1M has been donated, they still have to go through the competitive bid process.

[Blade]

Am I reading this wrong?

Marshall officials also would prefer to rip up its Joan C. Edwards Stadium Astroturf and replace it with FieldTurf for the coming season, but funding has not been approved.

I fully understand the university's position in proceeding with the work.  What I do not understand is why is there a concern for funding?  Has it not already been appropriated via JE's donation?

If "funding has not been approved" is synonomous with going through a bid process, I need to brush up on my comprehension.

What am I missing?

[billybob]

I am reading this completely different from many of you. In a process like this, once the winning bid is selected they have to approve the bid and allocation of the money. Even if the money is in the bank it still has to be approved. It is checks and balances so that someone from marshall doesn't get uncle walter in his pickup truck to install the turf. When you are dishing out a million dollars you want certain assurances that the job will be done right. Normal red tape for this amount of money.

[mrherd05]

I believe, even thought the $1M has been donated, they still have to go through the competitive bid process.

Thats fine, but didnt we know 12 months ago that we had the money for the turf, we just wanted to go into CUSA with the new stuff (at least that was the BS fed to us by Marcum), so havent we had 12 months to get bids???

[billybob]

That is a good point 05 - I think it will get done but I think it could have been done alot quicker.

[Blade]

I am reading this completely different from many of you. In a process like this, once the winning bid is selected they have to approve the bid and allocation of the money. Even if the money is in the bank it still has to be approved. It is checks and balances so that someone from marshall doesn't get uncle walter in his pickup truck to install the turf. When you are dishing out a million dollars you want certain assurances that the job will be done right. Normal red tape for this amount of money.

Then why didn't they say the project wasn't yet approved?

Funding has been approved for the Shewey Building renovations but the project has not yet been bid, has it?  Who is the contractor for that project?

It may just be the wrong choice of words but it's deceptive.

In most construction projects, the funds have to be appropriated up front.

- Identify the project
-  Approve the funds
-  Design and engineer the work
-  Identify the scope of work
-  Compile Bid Package
-  Approve the project
-  Purchase equipment
-  Contract labor and Materials
-  Set up accounting

If it is what you say billybob, it's a poor way to say it.

[billybob]

These are two very different projects and money is not allocated the same way. In the shewey building project the money must first be approved due to the fact that an engineer has to have financial parameters which they must stay within and design around or they could design beyond the allotted funds. In the field turf project money is allocated to a single contractor who solely performs or is responsible for the work. They are themselves solely responsible for the budget of said project and staying within the stated bid. To put it simply. I own a business location and I have a company that does the lawn maintenance of the facility. I started by having an open bid on the project from local vendors. We looked at qualified bids and made a choice on which one was best. Took the bid to the board to approve it and release the funds to begin the contract. That's how that type of project is bid and paid for. Two very different projects.

[Blade]

So, you're saying the funds are there?

That's what I'm trying to find out.  Not the difference between new construction and maintenance projects, which, btw, have to be funded regardless.

[W0lfman]

I would like to see the paper trail of where Ms. Edwards money has been spent.  Wouldnt you?

[murox]

I have concluded that Marshall University as a whole -- not simply the athletic department -- is run by incompetent morons.

[billybob]

Yea the money is there - it is the release of those funds that has not been approved. Most of the time with donations of this size the funds are not given in one lump sum, rather over several years. The school will build right now with money they won't have for a couple years. The money is pulled from general funds or loans and is paid back with donations that come in over a few years. You never hear this part of it - you just hear that a million dollars was given for this or that. My company does the same thing - it guarantees certain tax breaks and fananical stability for a longer period of time then a single donation would.

[Herd48]

billybob's last post makes a lot of sense.

[Blade]

I would like to see the paper trail of where Ms. Edwards money has been spent.  Wouldnt you?

Well, what I read in the paper makes me curious as to whether the athletic dept is still in control of the funds.

[billybob]

I don't think the atheltic dept ever touches the money. They are like your teenage daughter. You give her money out of your wallet but you never give her the wallet.

[HERDFAN1999]

In most construction projects, the funds have to be appropriated up front.

- Identify the project
-  Approve the funds
-  Design and engineer the work
-  Identify the scope of work
-  Compile Bid Package
-  Approve the project
-  Purchase equipment
-  Contract labor and Materials
-  Set up accounting

If it is what you say billybob, it's a poor way to say it.

Just a note on your process.  Usually you need to have your scope before you do your A/E work.  That way the architect has a basis for design.  And I am assuming this will be a design-build project so the successful bid will be doing the design and construction.  I agree that when they say the money has not been approved that does not mean it is not there.  That just means the necessary committee or staff have not signed of on the release of those funds.  Has Marshall released a formal solicitation for bids?

[HerdRocks]

I would like to see the paper trail of where Ms. Edwards money has been spent.  Wouldnt you?

Well, what I read in the paper makes me curious as to whether the athletic dept is still in control of the funds.

And just not the trail regarding money but a few other areas as in the sudden retirements of PRUETT and ANGEL..some of which I have learned some of which my source will not devulge at this time for fear it may end up here , but one thing I can tell you guys is that SOMETHING IS VERY ROTTEN IN DENMARK.

HERDROCKS

[Thunders]

I have been saying that forever but no one wanted to believe me!  There is crap going on and it smells like our AD and the whole atheltic dept staff and just about the damn college in general who run things.