Dallas School Board gets info on proposed new field house

DALLAS TWP. — Dallas School Board got a glimpse of where a new field house/athletic facility would sit at the multi-purpose stadium at Monday’s monthly meeting, though it was only shown in broad strokes with a lot of details to be developed.

Randy Galiatto from Alloy 5, the architectural firm working on the plan, showed a bird’s eye view of the existing facility with a dotted red line marking where a track could be installed in the future, and a white shape arching around one end of the field from bleachers to bleachers.

Galiatto stressed two things: The outline of a track was only to assure that one could be put there in the future if the district decides to do so, there is no plan or proposal to install a track now; and the footprint of the building shown was the maximum size, but it likely will be smaller.

He said it could be two floors and be as large as 60,000 square feet, and would have program locker rooms for male and female athletes, public spaces including restrooms and ticketing, and multi-purpose space for athletes.

Board Vice President Larry Schuler said that he supports the construction of a new facility, but worries that the district will appear to be favoring students at the neighboring high school while neglecting the facilities outside the other schools. he pointed out that students using the track near the Middle School have no building and often pile their backpacks nearby or on the fence, and that some female athletes at the other fields have to use portable toilets.

Business Manager Grant Palfey said the district is trying to make sure all students have equal opportunities, noting two new schools were recently built, and that addressing the athletic facilities will similarly take several steps. Superintendent Tom Duffy said a new field house wouldn’t be started until the district gets extensive input from all stakeholders.

The board also:

• Appointed Richard Stirk as bus/van driver, employed by the district transportation contractor G. Davis, Inc.

• Approved Cassy Walkowiak as a professional/nonprofessional substitute employee for the current school year.

• Accepted the resignation of custodian Jermaine Lamont, and the retirements of High School nurse Bonnie Kalish, Middle School science teacher Daniel Flynn and high school science teacher Susan Koziol.

• Appointed Kyra Santasania, Devanie Heller and Alexandra Rome as substitute teachers, with Heller and Rome pending completion of pre-employment requirements.

• Agreed to issue Requests for Proposals for a pavement restoration project at the Middle School, including milling and overlaying the existing drive and parking lots with full depth paving replacement in front of the school.

• Changed the 2021-22 calendar to make May 26 and 27 Act 80 half-days.

• Approved the 2022-23 calendar, with the first day of school set for Aug. 25 and the last day set for May 26, 2023.

• Approved a lease proposal from HP Financial services via information technology company CDWG to replace equipment coming off lease at an annual payment of $54,527 for five years beginning April 19.

• Appointed Assured Partners as the district insurance broker for worker’s compensation, property and casualty, educator’s liability and other policies.

• Authorized the business manager to liquidate or dispose of obsolete equipment: 100 Promethean boards and 30 Middle School lunch tables.

• Appointed Jesse Williams as head boys soccer coach at $5,471 and Jeff Miller as co-coach for boys soccer at $3,647.

• Approved the purchase of $99,415 in cafeteria equipment: $38,743 for two convection ovens, $43,499 for two Combi ovens, and $17,273 for district-wide upgrades of the point of sale software from PrimeroEdge. The ovens are being bought at a state-set contract price.

• Renewed the National School Lunch Program Food Service Management Company Contract with Metz Culinary Management Inc. beginning July 1, for one year.