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River Falls board approves parking‑lot projects, outlines use of remaining referendum funds
Summary
The River Falls Board of Education approved contractor bids to resurface and replace three parking lots using referendum dollars, and staff said the district still expects about $800,000 of referendum funds to allocate to future projects including possible additional high‑school parking and accessibility upgrades.
The River Falls Board of Education voted unanimously to approve contractor work on three campus parking lots, authorizing full‑replacement work at Rocky Branch and Meyer Middle School’s north lot and a mill‑and‑overlay for the high‑school student lot as part of ongoing referendum project planning.
Board members heard detailed recommendations from facilities staff and the district’s architects before the vote. Joe Hazelman, the district’s building and grounds director, told trustees that incomplete repairs would likely fail quickly: “If we don’t do this right … you’d see cracking telescoping through in two, three years, and be throwing good money after bad,” he said, describing why full‑replacement bids were recommended for some lots rather than quicker overlay options.
Why it matters: The work is funded from the district’s approved referendum; staff said the projects also include safety and accessibility upgrades such as a new hard‑surface pedestrian link and perimeter fencing between Greenwood and Meyer campuses to keep pedestrians separated from vehicle traffic. Lynette noted the Meyer Middle north‑lot plan includes fencing and large gates to preserve snow‑removal access while improving student safety.
Details and next steps: Monarch Paving was the recommended contractor after on‑site walkthroughs. District staff said they are coordinating scheduling so summer programs are least affected and will publish construction timing to families once dates are finalized. Finance staff told the board that, after accounting for these approved projects, the district expects to still use “about $800,000 in referendum funds” for remaining items such as possible additional high‑school parking, bus‑barn ventilation, water‑heater replacements, or playground accessibility upgrades.
Trustee action: The motion to accept the recommended bids passed on a 5–0 vote during the board’s regular meeting. Board and staff emphasized the projects are intended to improve long‑term performance and campus safety rather than produce a temporary fix.
What to watch: Staff will return with refined cost estimates and timing for any additional parking expansion at the high school and for remaining referendum allocations; the district said work schedules will be communicated to program leaders and families before construction begins.
