MINOCQUA – A proposal to replace the stadium bleachers at Lakeland Union High School this summer at a cost of $435,000 went down to defeat, 5-3, at Monday’s school board meeting, but the measure isn’t dead.
School board member Gary Smith’s motion to authorize the new bleachers, with an additional $90,000 for enclosed dry storage underneath, drew support from Jon Berg and board president Ed Schaub. Five other board members, for varying reasons, said “no” (board member Pamela Carrol was absent). However, after the vote, the board directed building and grounds director Dave Arnold to solicit “performance specifications” for the bleachers’ replacement. That could broaden the possible number of bids, because the board won’t be tied to a type of structure described as watertight – available only through one upper Midwest manufacturer.
The board will return to the issue at its next regular meeting. Expected are bids for a traditional bleacher structure with 1,200 seating capacity; along with one alternate bid for a “watertight” structure and another for storage space under the stadium. The submitted bids are to specify demolition of the current bleachers, new bleachers and installation. While the steel trusses of the current bleachers appear in relatively good shape, the foundation of the structure is deteriorating, according to Arnold. The metal framework is sitting on the ground; wood has rotted away and rust has formed on the bottom.
He recommends replacing the bleachers; although he said the structure could be raised and a new foundation put in at a cost of $50,000 to $70,000. A 2016 inspection by an engineering firm indicated the trusses had only 3-5 years left before they should be replaced, he explained. Board members debated for more than an hour about the necessity of replacing the bleachers and how to pay for it. And that’s where the board split.
Board member Emily Hallstrom questioned whether the entire stadium bleachers needed to be replaced, saying that a new foundation would be far cheaper than an entire new structure. Board member Barry Seidel wasn’t against the stadium replacement, but urged the board to tie that project in with other recommended capital improvement projects and go to referendum for the electorate’s approval to put the cost on the tax roll. The financial alternative is to tap the district’s fund balance – currently at $7.2 million – to cover the cost.
Fund balance is a catchall phrase for an account that’s used to cover operational expenses (payroll, heating bills, etc.) in between times when state and federal aid and local tax revenue are received. It allows the district to cover those bills without short-term borrowing. “We are going to hit what’s considered a minimum fund balance relatively quickly,” Seidel warned. At one time the fund balance was over $9 million. For his part, Schaub said the fund balance is there also to cover capital projects such as the bleachers.
Board member Barb Peck took note of those upcoming projects listed in a long-range planning guide, including repaving and renovating the main parking lot. Over the next five years, if the board undertook all of them, it would cost $3 million, she said. “How are you going to pay for all of this,” she asked. “No way am I ready to make a decision tonight.” A couple members said the proposal warrants additional details, including funding options, along with pros and cons of each measure. The bleachers were listed as an action item on the agenda, but no supporting documents were provided. However, it is listed for 2019-20 completion in the five-year capital improvement plan prepared more than a year ago, and, as Smith noted, the board had discussed the bleachers replacement earlier.
Administrator Jim Bouché was not at the meeting, so it fell to Arnold to explain the proposal and to field questions. “With no committee this is my only place to bring it to you guys,” lamented Arnold, who is retiring at the end of this school year. The board some months ago did away with board committees, except for the policy committee. In the past, they had a building and grounds committee. Seidel suggested he would serve on a review committee, but no action was taken on that proposal. “I’m leaving soon but I don’t want anyone hurt out there next year,” Arnold said.
Director of business services Greg Kopp noted that Lakeland students emulate the UW-Madison home fans in doing the Jump Around, a game day tradition in which fans jump in unison in the stands. Kopp noted that a new foundation under an old structure would be pointless if new bleachers were needed in the near future because the foundation would have to be redone.
Jeff Gracyalny, president/CEO of stadium builder JW Industries, Green Bay, said the framework for the current stadium was built sometime in the early 1960s. It was updated sometime in the ’80s, he added. The typical lifespan of stadium bleachers is about 30 years, he said; not so much that they wear out, but to meet state codes and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. His proposal is for a closed deck design that his company produces. Any debris left after games can be pushed down to the bottom to be easily collected. Now, workers push cups and other debris through the open rows to the ground below, where it’s raked up. With that watertight structure, the district would have 6,000 to 9,000 square feet of storage underneath. However, it would cost about $85,000 to enclose that space. Arnold said the storage would be welcomed as he lost four bays when the outdoor lockers were renovated.
Gracyalny noted the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association requires a 1,000-seat stadium for playoff games. The current stadium has 850 seats, with another 450 seats from the portable bleachers across the field. Gracyalny said if he gets the project by April 1, it would be ready for the fall sports season. After that date, the district would incur extra charges to meet that goal.
