Wednesday, August 15th, 2012
Parkway to replace storm-damaged lights, upgrade electric at football field
By Amy Kronenberger
ROCKFORD - The football field soon will be getting new lights.
School board members on Tuesday hired Bender Electrical Company, St. Henry, for no more than $35,000 to replace two lights damaged by a June 29 storm and replace all underground wiring. The board also hired Dayton Power and Light for an estimated $20,000-$25,000 to upgrade the transformer and handle other electrical work to make all elements compatible.
Superintendent Greg Puthoff said Bender Electric will be able to run new electric lines under the football field without trenching.
"The only holes will be where the poles are," he said.
The board at a special meeting earlier this month approved an emergency resolution to replace the two lights in time for football season. The board typically would bid out a project over $25,000, which could add several weeks to a project.
Puthoff said DP&L will not begin the work until paid, however, the company has not yet set a final cost. Puthoff said he will send the payment as soon as he receives a bill.
Treasurer Debbie Pierce said the school also received a $115,000 quote from Musco Electric, New Bremen, to replace all the other lights and poles. Officials plan to move forward with that project but have not set a start date, she said.
The new lights and upgrades will be paid through the permanent improvement fund, which contains just more than $5 million, Pierce said. The fund recently was boosted with $703,745 remaining from the $36 million K-12 building project. The state closed out the Ohio School Facilities Commission construction project in May.
Board members also hired Garmann-Miller Architects & Engineers, Minster, to provide architectural services for a new athletic building. The architectural fee will not exceed $30,000.
The building will house concession stands, ticket booths and restrooms for the football field and baseball diamond. The estimated cost is about $100,000, which would be paid from the permanent improvement fund. Construction would begin after football season ends.
Also at Tuesday's meeting, board members,
• learned July revenue from property taxes is up $1,000 over last year.
• transferred $182.23 from the class of 2012 fund to the class of 2013 fund and $192 from the Rotary high school building fund to the high school principal's fund.
• approved various staff contracts.
• approved bus routes for the new school year.
