DANVILLE — The Danville school board could make a move that would light up the Danville Community Athletic Complex and make it available for Big 12 Conference track meets and other events.
The Danville school board will meet at 6:30 p.m today (Wednesday, Nov. 16) at the Jackson Building, 516 N. Jackson St. A copy of the agenda is available online at http://bit.ly/tpw061 [2].
The board will vote on whether to award a bid to Barton Electric of Trenton to install stadium and walk path lights at the complex, which houses the outdoor track facility, soccer field and two practice fields.
The firm's bid for $282,252 is the lowest of six submitted. It's also about $20,000 less than school officials' estimates.
"We're recommending ap-proval to finish (the athletic complex) project so it's a fully operational facility," Superintendent Mark Denman said.
The district built the state-of-the-art track and drainage system, a storage facility to house athletic and grounds maintenance equipment and the Mervis and Foundation practice fields a few years ago. But Danville High School hasn't been able to host any athletic events there yet due to a lack of bleachers, restroom facilities and lighting.
"We really can't use it other than for practice during daylight hours," Buildings and Grounds Director Ron Henton said.
Last year, the Danville Public School Foundation used community donations to buy bleachers for the complex that were put up by Danville High football players and community volunteers. And this summer, the board awarded a contract to McDowell Builders of Sidell to build restrooms onto the storage facility.
"They should be completed this week or next," Henton said, adding there will be enough room in the facility to house a concession stand. "The only thing we need now is lighting."
He said the Big 12 Conference would like to use the facility next year to host regional track meets, and lighting is imperative to doing that.
Henton said the project calls for installing the necessary lighting for the bleachers, track and soccer field and the walk path area from Sidell Street into the complex and running an electrical line to power a scoreboard that was relocated from Ned Whitesell Field to the athletic complex. It also includes an alternate bid to provide lighting for the practice fields.
The project also includes excavation, drilling electrical service, poles and lighting, electrical mounted panel boxes, wiring and the like, Henton said.
If the board approves the work, the project would be completed by May 1, Henton said.
Also at the meeting, board members might vote on a proposed 2011 tax levy for the district.
Business and Finance Director Heather McKiernan is recommending to levy the same amounts as last year for the district's restricted funds and a 2 percent decrease for two unrestricted funds: municipal retirement and Social Security.
This year, the district raised about $19.25 million in property taxes under the 2010 levy. Mc-Kiernan said the district could see a $98,264 decrease next year under a "best case scenario."
The board also will vote on salaries for all district administrators except for four who already have announced their retirements and Jessica Bradford, whose $65,000 salary was set when she started as East Park Elementary's assistant principal in August.
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