Stadium revisted

The bonding process went better than expected.

The money that has been freed up has put a shelved option back on the table.

Jay School Board on Monday awarded a contract for work on the pool at Jay County Junior-Senior High School and revisited the possibility of more extensive work at Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium.

Superintendent Jeremy Gulley explained that the school corporation had a more favorable bond sale than expected with lower-than-estimated issuance costs. Those factors made an additional $1.77 million available for the project. The school board had already budgeted $1.01 million for work to extend the life of the current concrete grandstand. Those funds combined would bring the school corporation close to the estimated $2.95 million that would be needed to demolish the existing grandstand, install new bleachers and construct a new storage/restroom building.

Utilizing the planned funds and the additional money available from the bonding process, Gulley said the board could consider revisiting plans for the stadium.

An earlier proposal called for demolishing the existing grandstand on the southeast side of the stadium that was opened in 1975 and installing new steel-frame bleachers with aluminum bleachers and a new press box on the northwest side of the field. (The new seating would accommodate 1,750, an increase of about 10% from the current grandstand.) The existing visitors bleachers would be moved to the site of the current grandstand. The work would also include creating a new main entrance from the north “driving range” parking lot and constructing a new storage and restroom building on the northwest end of the new bleachers that could service both the stadium and the baseball field.

Gulley reminded the board that a similar proposal was first presented in late 2023. The board eventually opted to allocate funds to keep the current grandstand in place after a structural engineer’s assessment indicated that it could have as much as 50 years of life left if properly sealed and maintained. But this summer "a section of concrete on the front (field side) of the stadium … separated from the plate,” resulting in $125,000 in repairs and improvements.

“Not a good look,” Gulley said. “I didn’t like seeing it; I don’t think anyone did.”

Board members had questions about the potential stadium renovation, including regarding its impact on renovation of the track and whether the proposed new storage/restroom building would provide enough space.

If the board chooses to change the orientation of the football stadium, the track would be adjusted as well. Athletics director Alex Griffin said storage space is tight and would continue to be so with the new building.

Gulley said the board has three options:

•Stick with the original plan to spend $1.01 million to extend the life of the existing grandstand

•Spend minimal funds on the stadium to keep it viable in the short term with an eye on considering the more extensive project in the future. (Based on when existing bonds are expected to be repaid, Gulley estimated such a project could come in 2033.)

•Implement the larger project to demolish the current grandstand and install new bleachers on the opposite side of the field along with a new storage/restroom building

Either of the first two options would allow the school board to allocate the additional available funding to other areas of the junior-senior high property. (A Barton Coe Vilamaa report from 2024 identified items such as repairing exterior masonry cracks, refinishing the auditorium stage floor, installing an updated access control system and replacing carpeting.)

Originally, plans called for seeking a decision regarding the stadium from the school board in December. But Gulley shifted gears Monday, saying he feels it would make more sense to wait until after bids are opened in February or March for renovations to the junior-senior high building. (The work will include new HVAC controls, upgrading the electrical system, kitchen work and renovations for the band, choir and wrestling areas.) Once those bids are official, the school board will have a clearer picture of whether funds are available to cover the more extensive stadium project.

Board members Donna Geesaman and Aaron Clark expressed concern about the expense that could come from keeping the current grandstand in place. They and other members expressed support for tearing down the current grandstand and installing new bleachers, if funding is available.

The board also awarded a contract for the first phase of the project — upgrades and repairs to the pool — to Current Mechanical of Fort Wayne. The firm was the low bidder for the project at $1.61 million, coming in $8,000 over the estimate for the project. (Other bids ranged as high as $1.78 million.)

The work in the pool area will include replacing pool treatment equipment, the dehumidification unit and the roof. The board opted against including replacement of lighting in the pool area, which would have cost an additional $99,000.

The board also awarded a project to replace dugouts at the high school baseball field to Mid-States Construction of Redkey at $80,500. Existing dugouts will be demolished with a new 10-foot-by-60-foot home dugout and 10-foot-by-50-foot visitors dugout.

Gulley asked about whether the dugouts would be equipped with electricity, which was not a part of the quote. Director of maintenance Gary Cagle said the electrical work could be handled in-house.

In other business, board members Ron Laux, Marcie Vormohr, Chip Phillips, Jon Eads, Geesaman and Clark:

 •During the Patriot Pride moment, recognized that Bloomfield Elementary School, Redkey Elementary School, West Jay Elementary School and the junior-senior high school were named Purple Star Schools for their “significant display of commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.” Gulley said the remaining schools in the corporation are expected to gain approval next year.

•Received thanks from Paul Szymczak of Jay Classroom Teachers Association for how well the bargaining discussions went with the school corporation. He noted struggles in other areas of the state. (Hamilton Southeastern teachers staged a walkout last week as part of an ongoing contract dispute.) “We certainly do appreciate that and hope for more continued success in the future,” Szymczak said.

 •Approved the following: a field trip for German class students to Chicago on Dec. 1; the hiring of several employees including “success coach” Todd Gibson and LifeSkills teachers Candice Brooks and Maria Huelskamp; allowing business manager Shannon Current to make year-end transfers in order to avoid any fund ending the year with a negative balance; new bus driver contracts based on raises that were OK’d last month; the purchase of four buses from Kerlin Bus Sales for $733,856; a transportation service agreement with Jay County Christian Academy; and allowing Current to transfer up to 15% of funds from the education fund to the operation fund. 

•Heard the financial report, which projects negative cash flows of $9,339 in the education fund and $17,161 in the operation fund for 2025. That would leave year-end cash balances of $8.22 million and $6.42 million, respectively. Business manager Shannon Current added that she is hopeful state support will be increased this month as the result of an increase in enrollment for the current school year.

 •Approved the 2026-27 school calendar with a first day of Wednesday, Aug. 12 — the week after Indiana State Fair Band Day — fall break from Oct. 21 through 23, winter break from Dec. 21 through Jan. 1, spring break from March 18 through 26 and the final day of school on Wednesday, May 26.

•Accepted a donation of $1,000 from Patriot Fitness for rebranding at the junior-senior high pool.

•Heard Gulley comment on a potential agreement with Jay County Redevelopment Commission that would guarantee a certain amount of funding from new tax increment financing (TIF) districts to go into the school system's coffers each year. He said he appreciates the consideration from the redevelopment commission as it works toward implementing the new districts.

 •Accepted the resignations of junior-senior high LifeSkills teacher Heather Fugate and East Jay Elementary School LifeSkills instructional assistant Jamie Faller.

•Heard Laux wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving.