Board signs off on nearly $4.9M in summer facility maintenance and new playgrounds at Bayport and Lake Elmo

The Stillwater Area Public Schools board approved a summer facilities package and two playground projects during the meeting.

District staff presented the multi-site long-term facility maintenance (LTFM) package that covered 10 remaining work scopes across the district, including exterior-door replacement at Oak Park, painting and handrail work at Rutherford, fire-suppression piping in the Stillwater Middle auditorium, high-school cooling-tower and chiller replacements (to be scheduled for fall/winter to avoid summer athletics conflicts), kitchen-exhaust hood and lighting replacement at the high school, light-fixture and ADA restroom upgrades at Stonebridge, and furnace and garage-sensor replacement at the bus garage. Staff reported the program was budgeted at about $4.9 million and said the combined low bids came in just under that figure (stated in the presentation as roughly $4,883,599.62). The board moved and approved the LTFM package.

Separately, the board approved playground equipment and rubberized fall-surface work for Bayport and Lake Elmo elementaries. Staff described working through a state contract (St. Croy Recreation/Playgrounds) that provided a pre-bid vendor option for playground assemblies over the $175,000 public-bid threshold; presenters emphasized ADA-accessible play equipment and student input on design. Board members asked about the surface lifespan and staff estimated the rubberized "false surface" base typically lasts about eight to ten years depending on wear; staff said the underlying base was previously installed as a 2015 bond project and the current work replaces the surface layer. Motions to approve both projects passed unanimously.