SD161 Approves Fence Work on Summit Hill Junior High Ball Fields

Members of Summit Hill School Board District 161 approved a bid Wednesday to improve fencing to 's baseball fields but delayed work on the fields' dugouts and electrical systems.

The boad accepted a bid for about $27,000 from Do All Fence Co. that would create a new canopy over the backstop of the fields to protect people from foul balls. However, a bid of about $52,000 from another firm to make improvements on the dugouts was rejected.

Board members agreed that addressing the safety of fans and players was paramount and that work on the dugouts could wait.

"I'm very reluctant to spend $52,000 on dugouts at this time," said Board President Mary Kenny. 

Board member Denise Lenz echoed that sentiment, saying the dugout work was "a bonus" and didn't need to be handled at this time.

"We can go after it again when there's more competition for construction bids," said board member Dee Molinare.

The district only received two bids for the fields because many contractors were busy this summer and the type of work involved with the fence and dugout improvements was complicated, said Jim Clumpner, a representative from Architectural Resource Corp., the construction firm handling work for the district. The board had required three bids from firms for the work.

Clumpner added that work wouldn't be done before the school year started but would probably be finished by September. He assured board members that construction crews could work around this and that the work would be low impact.