Galena board approves fund transfers to complete $31 million GHS project, OKs $3.1M stadium plan

The Galena Area School District board unanimously approved several fund transfers and authorized a new on-campus track and athletic field concept at its August meeting, clearing key finance and construction steps for the $31 million Galena High School project.

Superintendent-level staff member Tim (district staff) told the board the construction project totals $31,000,000, of which $14.2 million came from a voter-approved referendum and the remainder must be funded from other district sources. He said recent changes to revenue assumptions — a larger-than-expected federal renewable-energy tax credit, stronger sales-tax receipts and higher investment income — created room to move money into the capital projects fund without additional levies.

The transfers are intended to move restricted fund balances into the district’s capital projects account so the contractor can complete scope tied to the GHS construction. The board voted 7–0 to approve four resolutions that move a combined several-million-dollar package into the construction fund and related accounts; roll-call votes were unanimous.

Tim described the finance rationale and timing: the district now expects about $3 million from federal renewable-energy (geothermal) tax credits when the project is complete — roughly $900,000 more than the district’s October 2023 assumption — plus stronger-than-expected receipts from the 1% tourism-driven sales tax and higher investment income. Tim also warned that the high school site has been heavily disturbed by drilling and staging for geothermal wells and that delaying certain site work would create “negative work” and higher costs later.

Architect Marty Johnson of Straka Johnson and Brandon Kellner of Larson Builders presented a site plan and budget for an 8-lane, 400-meter track, turf field, reconfigured access/service road and spectator facilities carved into the hillside south of the high school. Their concept calls for reusing and raising existing bleachers, adding an elevated press box and a continuous drainage and subsurface system beneath the turf. They said the design threads utilities and geothermal well locations to avoid conflicts and asked the board to authorize design and contracting to capture current contractor schedules and pricing.

After discussion about timing, constructability and long-term maintenance tradeoffs between natural turf and artificial turf, board member John moved to approve the “triathlon athletic field concept” with a budget not to exceed $3,100,000 for fiscal 2026. The motion was seconded by Mike Hyland and carried 7–0.

The board then approved four transfer resolutions by roll call (all 7–0): a $1,675,065 working-cash transfer, a $752,700 transfer from the education fund into transportation, a $10,606,563 transfer into the capital projects fund for project payment, and a $4,013,465 transfer from operations and maintenance into capital projects. The board confirmed that those transfers and the construction spending are included in the tentative FY2026 budget, which will be on display until the formal hearing.

Tim and the administration said the tentative FY2026 budget shows higher spending in construction years — creating a planned deficit on paper because capital outlays exceed operating revenue in the 12-month accounting period — but the district is drawing down restricted reserves that may not be levied again. The board set the public hearing date for the FY2026 tentative budget for Wednesday, Sept. 17.

Board members emphasized timing: several presenters said bidding and contractor schedules favor starting site work this fall so turf and surfacing contractors can be scheduled for early-spring installation. The architects recommended early mobilization to avoid higher future bids and to reuse disturbed materials rather than re-moving fill later.

The vote authorizes moving design into final documents and bidding the work. Board members and staff said more detailed construction documents, equipment selections (scoreboard, lighting), and photometric studies for stadium lights will follow as the design phase continues.

Actions recorded: motion to approve the triathlon athletic field concept and the four fund-transfer resolutions; all motions passed unanimously (7–0). The board directed administration and the project team to proceed with final design and procurement steps consistent with the $3.1 million budget cap and to return with details as contracts and bids firm up.