Pine Bluff board approves up to $3.6 million for football stadium improvements

The Pine Bluff School District board voted to approve spending up to $3.6 million on upgrades to the high school football stadium, including structural concrete repairs, demolition and replacement of an unsafe east press box, an upgraded two‑story west press box, new artificial turf, LED field lighting, sound and video scoreboard systems and related electrical and retaining‑wall work.

Board members heard a detailed presentation from a project representative and construction team on the scope of work before the vote. The presenter described plans to remove deteriorated wooden press‑box elements, install precast bleacher risers, repaint and sandblast corroded metal handrails and aluminum bleacher components, and rework pedestrian and ticketing circulation to improve safety and traffic flow. The north end scoreboard will include a video display, the report said.

Superintendent and staff told the board that some items in the packet were estimates while others were firm bid amounts; the approved authorization covers both bid and estimated line items so the work can proceed to contracting and final pricing. A board member moved the authorization, a second was recorded on the transcript, and the motion passed by voice vote with ayes recorded and no roll‑call recorded in the minutes.

The board did not record a roll‑call vote in the public transcript, and no member voting record or individual vote tallies were provided on the record. The motion was described as an authorization to proceed with contracts and work up to the stated dollar cap; staff indicated further procurement steps and final bids will follow before contracts are fully executed.

The board moved directly from the construction presentation into the action item; no amendments to the motion were noted on the record. The board then continued with other agenda business.