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Board reviews $594,536 site-improvement plan for planned fieldhouse amid concerns about rising costs and transparency
Summary
Chelsea School District staff recommended $594,536 in WSC site improvements tied to a previously approved $3.85 million fieldhouse, citing fire-department and stormwater plan-review requirements; trustees pressed for clearer process documents after several said costs have grown since the initial project discussions.
The Chelsea School District Board of Education heard a presentation on June 22 about proposed site improvements for the WSC fieldhouse and surrounding campus that would add a practice field, expanded Book Street parking, a dedicated walkway to the fieldhouse and required drainage and emergency-access work. Staff told the board the site work would cost $594,536 and be funded from bond proceeds and the district sinking fund.
The recommendation followed engineering and municipal plan reviews that, staff said, identified code-driven requirements. "They had to detain that water before it went into the the storm system," consultant Chris Martin told the board, describing detention basins and a fire-department access drive as elements that shaped the site design. Staff also recommended installing a three-phase electrical feed now to avoid costlier upgrades if the campus is expanded later.
Board members acknowledged benefits to student athletics and campus access but expressed frustration that additional site costs had emerged after the board approved the fieldhouse budget. "It just feels like we're coming back for more and more and more," one trustee said, arguing the design-build approach should have been clearer about future site costs. Trustees asked for a clearer process explanation so that future projects do not produce similar perceived "gotcha" moments.
Staff said the RFP intentionally focused first on the building footprint and that detailed site engineering occurred after plan review and municipal comments. They emphasized that the site work must be completed for municipal approval and to maintain the district's spring construction timeline.
On funding, staff projected the district's sinking-fund balance would remain healthy after the work: approximately $1.63 million after site improvements and about $2.93 million if the December 2026 levy collection occurs as estimated. Administrators said they vetted sinking-fund eligibility with legal counsel and that the recommendation uses eligible bond and sinking-fund language.
Board members asked staff to bring process recommendations and clearer upfront communications to avoid surprise cost additions on later phases of projects. Staff said they would seek approval at the July 20 work session if the board prefers to keep the current construction timeline.
The next procedural step is for the board to consider the site-improvement recommendation at a future meeting; staff said delaying approvals could push the construction schedule.
