UNION CITY, MI (WTVB) – The bleacher project at Union City High School’s Alumni Field will not be finished in time for the 2023 football season and there are indications it won’t be finished until after the season is over.
During a special Union City Community Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday night, the board voted unanimously to stay with Performance Services Incorporated of Kalamazoo as the construction manager. But that did not stop some board members from expressing their frustration about the project which has turned into a giant headache for the district.
Superintendent Chris Katz was against re-bidding the project because of the likelihood of increased costs.
But Katz was not happy about being given an inaccurate timeline when a P.S.I. construction manager said the work would take just over three months and would be done by the time of first home football game in late August.
Board member Dave Mathis was blunt when he told P.S.I. representatives they deserved to lose money on the project and that they should make concessions to the district.
Board Chair Amber Herman said she was deeply disappointed.
P.S.I Vice President Mark Titus apologized to the board and said this was not who they are.
As for spectator seating for this season, Katz said he would explore several options.
The project had to be delayed for a year in 2022 after no contractor bids for many portions of the project were not received before a June 1 deadline.
Nagel Excavating will begin the project by removing the existing concrete and bleachers and preparing the location for the new bleachers.
When finished, the project will include new concrete bleachers with aluminum benches at the current site along with a new building with bathrooms on the east side of the press box.
The old bleachers are warping and the dirt supporting them is gradually washing out down the hill to the track.
Union City Community School District voters approved a sinking fund millage renewal proposal in August of 2021 which provided a portion of the funding for the replacement of the bleachers as well as for other projects in the district.
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