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LUHS Board Awards Field Turf Contracts

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Lakeland football and soccer teams will be playing on synthetic field turf next fall after the school board Monday, April 24th approved contracts with two companies that will oversee and install the new field system.

Contracts include one with Stevens Point-based Point of Beginning (POB) to oversee the project, and another with MidWest Sport and Turf Systems to prepare the field and install the Greenfields-brand turf. POB will be paid nearly $32,000 for design, engineering and oversight of the synthetic turf installation, according to Finance Director Greg Kopp. “The turf that we are purchasing, we feel pretty confident it’s going to last 12 years,” Kopp said. “The actual base from what I’m told by Point of Beginning, generally you don’t even think about replacing that until you replace the turf the second time. So that tells me that we can get pretty much 24 years out of that.”

Plainfield, IL-based MidWest will be paid $669,000 for their work and materials, including $314,000 for prepping the base field. The only other bidder, Austin, Texas-based Act Global bid $694,181, which included $12,000 for the maintenance equipment (not included in MidWest’s bid). Related costs such as maintenance equipment, storm water management, football goal posts and the River Valley Bank logo (a major donor to the project) would bring the synthetic turf project to $759,000 on the low end, according to Kopp. At the high end, the estimate calls for spending $855,120.

Greg and Darcey Nicklaus of Arbor Vitae and the River Valley Bank Foundation have pledged a total of $720,000 for the construction project. The district will need to tap its fund balance account for at least $135,670 to upwards of $251,570, depending on where those final costs come in, to cover the remainder. Greenfields warrants its product for eight years, according to Kopp. Athletic/activities director Don Scharbarth said he expects local contractors will be providing materials for the field base. Kopp estimates replacement cost after 12 years or so at about a half million dollars. Deducting annual maintenance savings of $10,000 over the grass field, the district would have to set aside about $31,000 annually in anticipation of that replacement. Installing new field events, such as discus and long jump, at a new location away from the stadium field would cost $96,670 on the low end of estimates, while the high end is at $116,450. Both include $17,840 for POB’s services. But it has not been determined yet who will do the field events project. The total cost estimates for the turf and field events work range from $855,670 to $971,570. With the exception of Emily Hallstrom, who abstained, all the board members voted to approve the contracts.

Work is expected to begin when school lets out; possibly sooner, Kopp said.

The storm water management plan requires approval by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In other actions, the board hired Michael Marasch for the head maintenance I position, $23/hr; Paul Hoffman, assistance maintenance II position, $21.34/hr; and Chris Garcia, head girls swim coach, pay to be determined.

The board unanimously approved its new officers: long-time board member Ed Schaub as president, Shari Nimsgern as vice president; Barb Peck as secretary and Barry Seidel as treasurer. Former president Tom Gabert wanted to relinquish his board presidency duties.

The board approved a resolution to exceed revenue limits on non-recurring basis, tied to the phase 2 issue of $5.06 million in general revenue bonds to finance energy-savings projects at the high school. The board previously authorized the phase 1 financing in the amount of $9.6 million.

The board also approved renewing the 3-year contract with Schenck for the annual audit of district finances.

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