Unofficial tally puts athletic field improvements into play
By Patricia Bogumil
Interim Editor
Union Grove Union High School’s $1.895 million athletic field improvements referendum passed easily Tuesday, although not in every community served by the high school.
Unofficial results Tuesday night showed 970 “yes” votes to 870 “no” votes, with about 20 absentee ballots outstanding.
Those ballots must arrive by 4 p.m., Friday, May 18, to be included in the official tally but would not seem able to change the result of the election, according to district superintendent Al Mollerskov.
Tuesday night, Mollerskov’s focus was set on what needs to be done to start moving forward with the project.
The first items of business are to begin work with the project’s engineers and architects to develop drawings and bids, Mollerskov said.
Drainage work, including laying four 48-inch pipes to replace the current, and solo, pipe that has rusted out on the bottom should start next fall right after football, he said. That work is expected to run from October through December.
In spring 2013, the UGUHS track and soccer teams won’t be able to use the field that is being ripped up Mollerskov said.
Plans for next spring call for laying down a rubberized track, installing synthetic fields, putting in new lighting and installing new bleachers and a retaining wall.
If all goes according to plan, the project should be done by Fall 2013.
Mollerskov said the $1.895 million referendum had been sought by a group of residents who got together after a similar referendum failed to pass in September 2010 that called for replacement of the existing athletic field and who told administration: “We really need this for the kids – our current students and those in the future.”
Mollerskov noted that UGUHS is the only school in its conference with an asphalt rather than rubberized track and has not hosted a home conference track meet for 15 years.
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