Council Rock board unanimously approves contracts to complete South High stadium phase 2

The Council Rock School District Board of School Directors voted unanimously Thursday to approve two Phase 2 contracts to complete renovations for Council Rock High School South’s long-planned stadium. The board approved a $540,000 architectural-design agreement with Marietta Maine and a $313,700 construction-management agreement with Boyle Construction, a combined approval the board treated as the Phase 2 stadium package.

Supporters filled the boardroom and spoke at length during the public-comment period, urging the board to finish the stadium so South students could have a home field for athletics, band, and outdoor graduations. “This investment will do more than complete a long-awaited amenity,” said Mario Evangelist, who thanked board members he said had signaled support and asked for a “historic 9–0 yes vote.” Student speakers described logistical burdens — buses, traveling to a rival school’s field, and limited family attendance at graduations — as a reason to act.

The board’s facilities chair, boardmember Miss Stone, said two items before the board totaled roughly $850,000 as part of a $7.6 million total project cost and moved to approve the architectural and construction-management contracts “subject to solicitor’s review and audit.” In discussion, district business officials told the board they had capacity in debt service to finance the work without raising taxes. “We currently have enough room in our debt service millage that we would be able to finance the cost of the stadium without raising taxes,” said Tony Rapp, the business official.

Several board members acknowledged the project’s symbolic role in addressing perceived inequities between North and South and said they weighed that against other capital priorities. Policy and finance committee members emphasized that the stadium and separate Chancellor Center renovations are independent projects and that approving construction contracts now would require the board to plan for how to pay for all projects when bills come due.

Roll-call voting followed procedural motions to combine items D and E for a single vote. The secretary recorded a 9–0 vote in favor of approving both contracts; no board member voted against. The chair announced a brief recess after the vote.

What’s next: The contracts are subject to solicitor review and audit as noted in the motion. The facilities committee indicated Phase 2 work will proceed once those reviews are complete and construction scheduling and permitting are finalized.

Votes at a glance

- Item D — Agreement with Marietta Maine for architectural design services: $540,000. Approved, 9–0. - Item E — Agreement with Boyle Construction for Phase 2 construction management services: $313,700. Approved, 9–0.

— Direct quotes in this story are from public speakers and board members as recorded in the board meeting transcript.