Council Rock Facilities Committee advances South Stadium planning after hours of public comment; board set to vote Feb. 19

Chair Linda Stone convened the Facilities Committee meeting in the Council Rock School District boardroom where staff presented Phase 2 plans for a South Stadium at Council Rock High School South.

Jessica Benda, supervisor of facilities, described the proposed project as permanent 3,000‑seat aluminum bleachers plus a press box, ticket booth, restrooms, team rooms and concessions, and presented a total project budget range of $7,470,000 to $7,630,000. The selection committee recommended Marietta Main (architectural design fees of $540,000) and Boyle Construction for construction‑management services; the transcript contained a numerical inconsistency for Boyle’s fee that staff said they would clarify before the board vote.

The committee heard extensive board discussion about procurement, timing and prioritization. Trustee Joe Hidalgo urged the board to put the design and construction‑management contracts on the next board meeting agenda for an up‑or‑down vote. Chair Stone confirmed the facilities committee would not approve the contracts at the committee meeting and that the items would be placed on the board agenda two weeks later for formal action.

During a timed public‑comment period more than 30 residents and students spoke in favor of completing the stadium. Parents, alumni and current students said South has shared North’s stadium for two decades, that South students routinely graduate indoors with limited guest access, and that completing Phase 2 would provide community, extracurricular and revenue opportunities. "We deserve to graduate in our own stadium," said one parent. Multiple speakers urged the board to "put students first," asked the board to vote on Feb. 19, and described potential revenue streams such as rentals, concessions and naming rights.

Board members acknowledged the strength of community sentiment but emphasized fiscal and scheduling considerations. Tony Rap, director of business administration, reminded the committee the district is working with multi‑year debt plans and recommended orders‑of‑magnitude estimates are used before final bids and construction contracts are signed. Several trustees asked staff to quantify transportation savings and potential revenue retention for South, and to provide clearer cost figures and timelines in advance of the board meeting.

Next steps: staff said design work would move forward only after the board takes formal action. Chair Stone and trustees confirmed the South Stadium design and construction‑management contracts would be placed on the Feb. 19 board meeting agenda for a public vote; the committee itself took no formal action at this meeting.