CLEARFIELD – At Monday night’s regular meeting, the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors voted, 6-2, to approve bleacher upgrades at the Clearfield Bison Sports Complex at the high school campus.
The board awarded the bleacher construction contract to the Sturdisteel Company of Hewitt, TX. The base bid of $488,000 included the steel support system and the platform for a press box. The board opted not to include an alternative bid for new aluminum seat boards as part of its bleacher upgrades. This resulted in a savings of $45,000 and reduced total project costs to $533,309.
Board members Mary Anne Jackson, Tim Morgan, Jennifer Wallace, Larry Putt, Susan Mikesell and Dr. Michael Spencer voted in favor. Board members Rick Schickling and Phil Carr opposed.
During board discussion prior to the vote, Schickling described the base bid as being too “broad.” He wanted to see it broken down to what would satisfy the district’s insurance company and then the list of “add-ons.” Schickling wanted the board to have the ability to “pick and choose,” because “this is a lot of money.”
Carr had similar concerns, saying the board was talking about a half-million dollars. He wanted to reduce the costs of the bleacher upgrades and see more of it go toward the district borrowing less for the renovation and expansion project at the Clearfield Elementary School.
Carr said he wasn’t sure if it was possible, but he’d like to see the district address the bleacher upgrades on a piecemeal basis over a period of years. He asked Architect J. Greer Hayden of HHSDR Architects/Engineers of Sharon if it was possible to have the bleachers inspected and then to repair problem areas.
Hayden said the district’s code problems are with railings, aisle ways and ramps. So far as the bleacher seating, he said the floor boards had created problems, as well as the open spaces between them, which need to be closed up. Hayden said there was an alternative bid for new aluminum seat boards, and if the district wanted to eliminate costs it could keep its current aluminum seat boards.
Rick Bunning, director of buildings and grounds, said if there are any gaps in the bleacher system greater than four-inch by four-inch, they must be filled in. For example, he said they had to put in extra slats on a ramp that goes up into the bleachers while the gap was too large and install a chain-link fence going up the steps.
According to Bunning, they have been replacing floor boards. However, he said they have to special order the floor boards, because they have to be pre-cut to specific lengths. In addition, Bunning said cleats have been placed beneath the floor boards to make them sturdier.
Carr was also concerned about the proposed location of the structures for the press box. He worried they would get hit by a vehicle with them being located close to the roadway. Carr wanted to see the press box structure relocated to the visitor’s side of the stadium.
Carr was also bothered by the walkway that goes around to the rear of the press box. He felt it would become an “attractive nuisance” to cause the district problems.
Hayden said there was approximately eight feet between the edge of the roadway and the support structure for the press box. So far as the walkway, he said the rear access would allow others to enter the press box without interrupting the privacy of the radio announcers and coaches.
Carr said it was unacceptable to have the walkway there for the purpose of rear access to the press box. He said, “I’m just afraid that if students see that they can’t help themselves.” Hayden told him they already have a similar situation with the back row of bleachers.
When he was asked about completing the bleacher upgrades on a piecemeal basis, Hayden explained the district would then be required to spend a certain percentage on handicapped accessibility each time. For example, he said if the district spent $50,000 one year, at least 20 percent of that would have to go toward accessibility.