Kingsland Community Center ready to rent; KMUD holding off on final payment
The kitchen inside the newly renovated Kingsland Convention and Community Center is ready to go even as the Kingsland Municipal Utility District tries to get the contractor to make changes to the facility’s sprinkler system. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Kingsland Municipal Utility District is holding off on a final payment to the contractor for renovations to the community center, but the facility is available to rent.
“It can be used as intended,” said Randy Stumberg, an architect with MRP Group Senior Architect. He gave the assessment during the KMUD board of directors meeting Monday, April 26.
He said issues with the Kingsland Convention and Community Center’s sprinkler system remain, but it does the job it needs to do.
In early April, Stumberg told directors about “yellow tag” issues with the sprinkler system and recommend they withhold a final repayment of $112,000 to Grit Design Build LLC and not accept ownership of the building.
Weeks later that recommendation remained unchanged.
“The repayment is all we have to hold over their head,” Stumberg said.
KMUD Operations and Maintenance Manager Tom Stewart told directors that Kingsland Water Supply said the issue is a lack of water pressure.
While there are 6-inch water taps, the sprinkler lines are 4 inches. And backflow preventers, which are installed in compliance with state law to keep the water system from being contaminated, have also reduced the water pressure, Stewart said.
He pointed out that the system should have 6-inch lines throughout the facility.
Stumberg believes the reason behind using smaller lines was to save money.
“It’s on them to deliver a product that’s working correctly,” he said. “The water pressure is in the line, but it’s not getting from point A to point B. Hold the retainer until all is fixed.”