Photos by Barbie Porter
The score board at the football field has been secured to a pole. It reportedly toppled earlier this year. The football field and track complex are on the recently approved project plans.

Track and  football complex, parking lots on project list

By Barbie Porter

Editor

The Frazee-Vergas School Board gave the green light for an $8 million project. 

During the monthly board meeting on Monday, June 14, the board unanimously supported a resolution of intent to proceed with:

• A new track and field complex. The document stated the work would include an  eight lane track, football field, lights, bleachers, press box, concession/bathroom facility and relocation of the junior varsity baseball field.

• New student parking lot at the high school.

• New dedicated parent drop-off/pick-up loop and bus drop-off/pick-up loop at the high school.

• Indoor air quality and fire safety improvements at the high school.

• New parking lot including dedicated parent drop-off/pick-up loop and bus drop-off/pick-up loop at the elementary school.

• New parking lot on backside of elementary school, next to new Early Childhood Family Education entrance.

• Elementary school learning center.

The parking lot area across from the high school is often used by students. The proposed plans creates a new student parking lot on the east end of the high school.

The board authorized Superintendent Terry Karger to work with the district’s professional services, ICS Consulting, for the implementation of the identified improvements.

During a school board work session on May 17, ICS presented the financial aspects of the plan. Taken into account were monies from Long Term Facility Maintenance, funding from COVID-19 relief dollars, abatement bonds, Health and Safety funds, a lease levy and general fund dollars.

The document provided to board members from ICS stated the estimated annual tax impact on a $125,000 home in the Frazee-Vergas School District would be $83 for all projects to be completed for about $8 million

In other news

The board also heard there may be an unexpected expenditure with Long-Term Facility Maintenance Funds. 

While removing a pad panel on the wall from a gym, for planned work, what was found under neath the panel calls for additional work. Karger said there was a large amount of adhesive put in place to hold the panel, and he questioned if the in-house resources could tackle removing the glue.

Another project set for the summer and using LTFM funds will be fixing faulty gas valves in a science classroom, Karger added.