Elma School District outlines grant-funded athletic complex plan, highlights ADA fixes and cost drivers
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Summary
A district presenter described a grant-funded plan for a new athletic complex, detailed permitting and geotechnical delays, and gave cost estimates (stands, floodplain work, track repairs) while answering community questions about parking, rentals and timelines.
A presenter for the Elma School District reviewed plans for a grant-funded athletic complex and related facility work, saying permits are in hand but construction depends on available capital and contractor timing.
The presenter said the stadium/stands themselves are priced at $1,470,000 (excluding demolition and foundation work) and that floodplain- and corrosion-related treatments add roughly $600,000, making the stands and associated soft costs an estimated $2,500,000. "The stands themselves are $1,470,000," the presenter said, and added that additional site and soft costs raise the overall estimate.
The district described the project history: community feedback in mid-2024 pushed planners to scale back earlier concepts and review alternate designs. The presenter said geotechnical work (geocoring) required for the project delayed permitting even though geocoring was not a city requirement for other projects. The conditional use permit for the site has been obtained, but the presenter said the process to reach that point took about 12 months because the site is in a flood plain.
On grant funding, the presenter said the district secured a Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grant that reimburses construction costs; in the meeting record the presenter stated the award as "1.97" (amount not specified in the transcript). The district staff described the RCO-funded scope as two lit fields (one fully lit, one partially lit), irrigation and buried utilities routed to the site to simplify future expansions.
Community members raised safety and access concerns. A public commenter told the board about a sinkhole observed at the high school site and urged the district to plan for deeper geotechnical review and better accessible parking and routes. "We have a sinkhole in the high school," the commenter said, noting the site’s difficult conditions. A resident urged the board to act "for the kids," saying community members want usable fields sooner rather than later.
The presenter also outlined additional district projects: an ADA-accessibility sidewalk and ramp work (described as roughly a $1.2 million project) to improve student access from school buildings to the track; mid‑school gym painting and repairs; and parking-lot lighting upgrades. The presenter estimated about $7.8 million would be required to replace the full track surface if the district proceeded with full replacement rather than partial repairs.
On scheduling, the presenter said archaeological review and some preliminary excavation are complete and that visible construction activity on the RCO-funded complex is not expected until later in the multi-year plan (the presenter noted 2027 as a planning horizon for major work). The presenter said the district will post slides and a recording on its facilities page and YouTube and invited the public to an April 1 workshop for prioritization and to help set a final list of projects.
No formal motions or votes were recorded in this meeting excerpt. The presenter said the district will continue to refine quotes for foundation and demo work and will return with more detailed cost information as bids are collected.