The District No. 2904 School Board on Monday accepted multiple bids for lighting installation at the high school baseball field.
The accepted bids were $185,000 from Musco Sports Lighting LLC for materials and equipment (LED lights and poles); $45,900 from Amiret Electric for the installation of the poles; and $32,800 from Amiret Electric for the electrical installation of the lighting system.
The total of the bids is $263,700; the original estimated cost of the project was $259,000. The monies will come out of the district’s general fund; Long Term Financial Maintenance cannot be used since this is a new project.
“We have a surplus of one-half million dollars in our restricted fund balance this year,” Tracy Area Public Schools Supt. Chad Anderson said. “We should still have a surplus this coming year, even with this.”
Board member and longtime advocate of new lighting at the field Jay Fultz made the motion to accept the bids, and seconded by board member Jody Bauer. The motion carried unanimously.
Three companies bid on the lighting, with the high bid coming in at $236,244 with a 10-year warranty. Musco’s bid comes with a 25-year warranty. Four companies bid on the other phases.
“Going back to 2001 … this is always something we wanted to do,” said Tracy Area High School Activities Director Bill Tauer. “We have always talked about it, and this is as far as we’ve gotten. I’m supportive of it; I think it’s long overdue. It’s going to be a great asset to our school and community.
The new lighting will allow the high school baseball teams to play back-to-back games in Tracy, as opposed to sending one of the teams over to Milroy.
“They’ll get used,” Tauer said. “Our youth programs can use them, too.”
It was noted that the new lights won’t have as much “light pollution” as those at the football field have.
Tauer said he is looking at a project startup date sometime after July 1, although the materials will be delivered earlier than that.
The board also will put out quotes for new lights and poles at the football field and will work with Sports Lighting Authority on the purchasing process at a cost of $10,425. Two of the poles, which are 66 feet tall, are in “poor to dangerous” condition,” Anderson said.
In other business …
• The board elected school board officials for the new year: Chair Rod Benson, who announced this will be his final term as chair; Jody Bauer, vice-president; Nicole Swanson, board clerk/treasurer; Community Education, Bauer, Benson, Ryan Verlinde; MSHSL, Benson, Verlinde; Staff Development/Calendar Committee, Taylor Hoffbeck, Jeff Knott, Benson; Districtwide Employee Relations, Benson, Swanson, Jay Fultz; Building/Grounds & Health/Safety, Benson, Fultz, Verlinde; Technology Committee, Verlinde, Swanson, Fultz; MSBA Legislative Liaison, Hoffbeck, Knott; Finance/Negotiation Committee, Knott, Fultz, Bauer; and Transportation/ Food Service, Benson, Verlinde. All of those committee remain the same. The district has a new Policy Committee, and its volunteer members are Hoffbeck, Knott and Verlinde.
• The board accepted the resignations of Cathy Johnson and Vicki Streifel and extended long-term sub Lexi Erickson to March 29, 2026, for the second grade. The board also approved the hiring of Heidi Morgan as a cook at the elementary school, effective Jan. 9, 2026.
• The board accepted the addition of Devin Carter as a volunteer wrestling coach for the remainder of the 2025-26 season and Camille Dolan as a volunteer girls’ basketball coach for the 25-26 season.
• The board accepted the following donations: $1,000 (anonymous) for Secret Santa; $100 from Currie State Bank for both the TAHS choir and band; $200 from Ron McDaniel for the Shorty Engel Scholarship; $2,500 from McDaniel for the Art Marben “Bulldog” Scholarship; $1,000 from McDaniel for the summer rec program; $608 from the Chester Johnson Trust for the new Balaton Little Panthers sign; an anonymous $240 donation for a TAHS scholarship; $850 from Minnwest Bank for needy families; and $750 from Murray Farms for the TAHS FFA program.
• The board recognized Jan. 19-25 as Paraprofessional Week.
• Enrollment currently sits at 617 (K-12) compared to 641 a year ago at this time.
