Board awards Twin Turfs restroom contract and approves stadium lighting purchase; bids, timelines and contingencies discussed

The Dexter Community School District Board of Education approved two facilities actions: awarding the Twin Turfs restroom/storage building project and authorizing purchase of stadium lighting fixtures through a purchasing consortium.

Twin Turfs restroom building: Facilities staff presented a recommended design for a compact building with storage/concession sight lines and four individual restrooms. The meeting packet included drawings, a bid summary and a recommendation that the project include a contingency sufficient to add winter heat and necessary site infrastructure for a future field house. Staff told the board that bids for the package ranged roughly from $763,000 to just under $1 million; the recommendation included construction and a contingency for site work and utilities. The board approved the recommendation by roll‑call vote.

Stadium lighting purchase: The board also approved purchasing stadium lighting fixtures from Musco Lighting through a purchasing consortium and directed staff to bid local electrical contractors for installation. Staff said Musco would supply fixtures and programming (including an optional light‑show package and colored‑light option at additional cost), and the district would award the electrical installation through the public bid process. Presenters noted long lead times for electrical gear (12–58 weeks on current projects) and said the district could install fixtures and complete electrical work later if panels or gear were delayed. Staff said the fixtures include a manufacturer warranty and remote monitoring capability; the packet cited a purchase amount for fixtures in the low‑six figures. The board approved the purchase by roll‑call vote and assigned the projects to district project management; funding was identified from the district’s 2025 bond series.

Board members asked operational questions about restroom capacity for large events, future field‑house siting and neighbor lighting impacts; staff said the restroom was sized for regular practice and that additional crowd facilities (temporary porta‑johns or expanded restrooms) would remain an option for large events. For lighting, staff said they had lighting‑model studies that showed reduced off‑site impact and that track/event lighting could be switched separately when needed.

Next steps: Staff will finalize contract documents and bid packages for electrical installation. Construction schedules and fixture delivery windows were discussed; staff said fixtures could arrive first while electrical gear and installation proceed according to procurement lead times.