JERRY CITY – There is still no guarantee the project will be approved, but Elmwood school board continues
to move forward on getting new bleachers as well as a new track at its athletic facility
Superintendent Tony Borton reported at Monday’s board meeting that the schematic design for the projects
should be done within the next three weeks.
Toledo-based SSOE Group, which had presented the project to the board in January, has been retained to
complete the schematic design and bidding process. Borton estimated the architect’s fee for the work
will likely be between $16,000 and $25,000.
Based on the time frame worked out between district administrators and SSOE, the plan is to have bids in
by the end of June. At that time, the board would decide whether to proceed, and how to fund the
projects.
If the school board votes in favor, bleacher demolition and reconstruction would begin immediately after
this fall’s football season. Work on an all-weather track around the football field would start next
spring.
"If the board decides to move forward," Borton stressed.
Talk of a new all-weather track, as well as new bleachers, has been ongoing at Elmwood, with a push about
seven years ago to get the project completed. At that time, the issue of funding put the plans on the
back burner.
Cost estimates, provided by SSOE, include $450,000 for the eight-lane track, and $600,000 to put in new
home and visitor bleachers.
The cost for the bleachers will be much lower, Borton said Monday, because the district would choose to
install 1,500 seats on the home side, not the 2,000 recommended by the architects.
He added it was likely a new concession stand would not be included in the project, neither would
construction and landscaping of the main entrance to the complex. There also are questions over how
large the new press box would be.
The school board held a hearing in late January on funding of the project, which had been tentatively set
at $1.9 million. Feedback from the community showed a dislike for the idea of going to voters to raise
the funds through a property or income tax.
"I think it’s something we need to handle in house," Borton stated, adding that board members
appeared most interested in the idea of funding the project through the sale of participation bonds and
making payments from the general fund.
Track coaches attended the meeting to hear the update.
"We wanted to be here to make sure everything kept moving," said varsity coach Monica Arnold.
She was excited the track project was still moving forward, but admitted she had a new concern: Where
would the athletes practice in spring 2012 once the work began?
Also at the meeting, the board, without comment, unanimously approved a three-year contract extension for
Borton, through 2015. Borton was hired in July 2010 and given a two-year contract.
Additionally, the board accepted $500 from Modern Woodmen of America to use for a high school cheer
trophy case; and approved overnight trips for the softball team to Cincinnati and the music department
to Virginia Beach, Va.
