Blinn College trustees select construction managers of two multimillion dollar projects following considerable discussion

This podcast includes comments from the April 8, 2025 Blinn College trustees meeting.Almost three months after Blinn College opened their new Bryan campus administration and support services building, trustees move forward with another $100 million dollars in construction projects.Trustees voted 4-3 to approve selected the administration's recommendation for construction manager at risk (CMAR) for a nearly $30 million dollar sports complex on the Brenham campus, consisting of a fieldhouse, a soccer field, a softball field, a football practice field, space for intramurals, and parking.The trustee's newest member, retired Blinn facilities director Richard O'Malley, failed in his attempt to delay a vote until getting more information about the process of reviewing nine proposals.Joining O'Malley were retired Blinn vice president Dennis Crowson and Diane Kettler.Voting for the administration's recommendation were chairman Jim Kolkhorst, vice chair Allison Bentke, secretary Randy Wells, and Rebecca Ehlert.The location of the sports complex is south of the Brenham campus, behind car dealerships on the north side of Highway 290. Crowson questioned why public access is through a Blinn apartment complex instead of entering off of 290. Blinn's current facilities director Mark Feldhake said that could be part of a traffic impact analysis that has yet to be done.Click HERE to read and download background information about Blinn's future athletic complex in Brenham.And a unanimous vote to select the construction manager at risk for a $68 million dollar building near Waller came after administrators fielded questions about why the first building at their newest branch campus was about academics instead of focusing on workforce training. Executive vice chancellor Leighton Schubert said Blinn is experiencing a high demand for workforce training at employer's sites.Click HERE to read and download background information about Blinn's academic building project near Waller.