Stadium construction on track

Despite 16 inclement weather days between mid-May and mid-June, construction crews continued to make progress on the new Panthers Stadium, assistant superintendent Jody Wiggins reported at Thursday's School Board meeting.

Rusty Thompson, project supervisor for Crossland Construction, reported that even more progress was being made now that the ground is dry and trucks can get in and out of the construction site.

On the visitors-side grandstands, eight support columns have been completed. Concrete pier standings and footings have also been put in place. Pier caps have been completed on the home-side grandstands. The concrete for the concessions building and the elevator pit has been poured. A number of underground pipes have also been installed, Thompson said.

By mid-afternoon Monday the walls of the concessions building had begun to rise as masons mortared and stacked courses of concrete blocks. Steel workers were scheduled to begin work this week, Thompson said.

The school opened bids on a sound system and audio visual system for the stadium on Tuesday. Results were not available at press time.

So far the Siloam Springs Public School's Foundation has raised nearly $1.7 million towards building the new stadium, superintendent Ken Ramey said. The School Foundation set a goal of raising $2 million toward the project.

The School Foundation is currently sending out letters and using word of mouth to reach out to non-alumni for support on the project, he said.

"We're trying to make sure everybody has an opportunity to participate," he said.

In other business the board took the following actions:

• Approved an agreement to employ First Security Beardsley Public Finance as financial advisor to the district for the next three years.

• Approved 10 student and staff handbooks for the 2014/2015 school year. Policy changes within the handbooks, recommended by the Arkansas School Board Association, had already been approved at previous board meetings.

• Approved a resolution to hold September school board elections by early voting and absentee ballot. Incumbent Roger Holroyd is running uncontested for the Zone 1 school board position.

• Accepted four teacher resignations.

• Approved hiring six teachers.

• Approved four student transfers into the district.

• Approved two student transfers out of the district.