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Board approves stadium video boards, roof work and other referendum-funded projects; several consent items pass
Summary
The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education approved multiple referendum-funded facilities and nonconstruction items on March 17, including purchase of stadium video boards, roof replacements at La Follette and West, moving and storage reconciliations, and gym bleacher replacement. Scores and funding sources are noted.
At its March 17 meeting the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education approved several consent-agenda items related to facilities, referendum cleanup work and donor funding.
Key votes
- Purchase of stadium video boards: The board approved a contract to purchase video boards for the Lucia and Manley (spelled in agenda as Lucia and Manfield) stadiums and training from Daktronics, with costs “anticipated to not exceed $287,464.” The motion passed 6–1.
- Roof replacement at La Follette and West high schools: The board awarded bids totaling $4,945,548 to replace failing sections of roof at La Follette and West. Funding will come from the 2020 referendum and building-services maintenance accounts; the item passed unanimously.
- Referendum-related moving and storage reconciliation: The board approved an increase to a purchase order for Coakley Relocation Systems, adding $438,600.10 for a project total of $1,443,884.45, funded from the Referendum 2020 non-construction services budget. The motion passed unanimously.
- Anchor Moving purchase-order increase: The board approved an increase of $4,200 for a project total of $1,171,496.43, funded from Referendum 2020 non-construction services. Vote: unanimous.
- Memorial Spectator Gym bleachers: The board approved replacement of the Memorial Spectator Gym bleachers by The Goodson Company for $244,000 funded from the FY26 building services operating budget. The motion passed 6–1.
- LEAP grant acceptance: The board accepted a $20,000 LEAP grant from the Green Bay Packers and U.S. Cellular to support technology and STEM education at Leopold Elementary. Vote: unanimous.
- Dissolution of citizens ad hoc committee for naming Southside (now Lori Mancari Elementary School): The board dissolved the naming committee after the board previously approved the renaming; the motion passed unanimously.
Context and funding
Superintendent Christopher Gothard and executive staff said some work (notably roof repairs) represents items “value engineered” out of earlier renovation projects that are now being restored using remaining referendum funds. The district reported roughly $7 million remaining in the 2020 facilities referendum prior to these awards; after approving the roof work, about $2 million remained for future items, staff said.
Board member questions at the meeting sought to confirm that the roof work would not upset an even distribution of referendum resources among the comprehensive high schools and whether the district had competitively bid the moving and storage contracts. Executive staff said multiple vendors were used and that some services required staged or multiple vendors for occupied construction sites.
Ending
The motions moved as part of the consent agenda and several separated items were taken individually for comment. Board members who voted against items cited priorities for preserving student-facing staff over capital expenditures; most members voted to proceed with repairs and replacements using referendum and building funds.
