The Oshkosh Area School District described the condition of the North High School fieldhouse floor and urged the Board of Education to decide whether to replace it now or continue monitoring.

Facilities staff said the current wood gym floor was installed over an older poured-in-place urethane layer that has begun to degrade. "As urethane ages, it degrades, and as it degrades, it off-gases mercury vapor, which is harmful," said Mr. Fox, the district administrator presenting the report. He said recent air samples "are within a permissible exposure limit," but that continued degradation could cause levels to spike and force an unplanned shutdown.

Administration outlined two options: continue periodic air sampling and monitoring to defer immediate cost, or initiate demolition, abatement and replacement timed for spring break and summer construction to avoid an emergency closure. Mr. Fox said the district's current budget estimate for demolition, abatement and a new gym floor is approximately $1,700,000, "again, without bidding it out, but that is our budget cost right now." Facilities and finance committee members present recommended moving forward with option two to reduce the risk of an uncontrolled exposure and major midyear disruption.

Board members pressed for detail about timing and disruption. Mr. Fox acknowledged an unknown in the timeline: once the urethane is removed and concrete is exposed, the length of time required for off-gassing is difficult to predict. He said similar projects in other states have taken up to three months for off-gassing after removal, which could push completion past summer and into the school year if not carefully scheduled. The administration said containment measures (negative pressure, HEPA filtration) are standard during abatement and that construction can take place while the building remains occupied, but athletic programming and events at North would be interrupted during demolition and curing.

Fiscal questions were raised as trustees noted the district forecast includes a $6 million structural shortfall. Board members asked administration to present funding options as part of a resolution at the next meeting; facilities staff said they would include possible funding sources and schedule scenarios. No binding action to spend funds was taken at this meeting; trustees indicated the item will return for a formal vote on a prepared resolution.

Next steps: administration will prepare a resolution with funding options and a proposed timeline so the board can vote on whether to schedule demolition, abatement and replacement during the next available summer window.