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Liberty Athletic Club to reimburse district over seven years for new scoreboards at Liberty High
Summary
The finance committee discussed a three-party plan with Liberty Athletic Club to purchase and sponsor replacement scoreboards for Memorial Gym; agreement outlines a 7-year reimbursement schedule (about $30,000 per year) and gives the athletic club advertising rights to help recoup costs; district selected Digital Scoreboards as vendor.
Bethlehem Area School District staff told the finance committee on Sept. 15 that the district has reached an agreement with the Liberty Athletic Club to jointly fund replacement scoreboards for Memorial Gym at Liberty High School.
Under the proposed arrangement, the athletic club will reimburse the district over a seven-year schedule so the club “will have fully sponsored that purchase” by the end of the term, a district presenter said. The presenter described the annual reimbursement figure as about $30,000 per year over seven years.
The agreement also grants the Liberty Athletic Club the right to sell advertising on the new boards to help repay the district’s upfront costs. A district presenter said advertising “will have to comply with school board advertising policy.” The district recommended awarding the scoreboard purchase to Digital Scoreboards after a bid process.
District staff thanked members of the community and volunteers who worked on technical specifications, financing arrangements and vendor review, including Terry (identified as president of the Liberty Athletic Club), Harris, Aristakizian, Bachman and Stein. “Whenever you arrange a 3 party agreement, there's a lot of t's to cross and a lot of i's to dot,” the presenter said.
Committee members asked about physical protection for the scoreboard and how advertising sales would be managed. Doctor White asked whether there would be “some kind of a protective gate over the digital scoreboard,” and others noted local business outreach for ad sales. The presenter said the athletic club would handle ad sales and the district’s facilities team will manage mounting and technical installation.
The presenter also noted the boards’ flexibility for instructional or assembly use and readiness for an anticipated league requirement for a shot clock next season.
The committee did not record a formal vote in the session; staff said the scoreboard agreement and recommended vendor will be placed on the Sept. 22 regular board meeting agenda.
