It looks like De Soto School District’s J.C. Culwell Stadium improvement project, which is about 95 percent complete, will be finished on schedule and below budget, said Joshua Phipps, the district’s assistant superintendent of school operations.
He said the project is nearly complete, but district officials are still determining what to do about signage and branding.
“The (stadium project) work was done efficiently, and so we were able to have the project completed for the Special Olympics (on April 22), which was really our goal,” he said. “The ADA accessibility and space is really nice (for the Special Olympics).”
Phipps said the district originally budgeted just more than $2 million for the stadium improvement project, and it has spent $1,695,969.80, which is $326,930.20 under budget.
The stadium is one of several improvements and purchases the district is funding with revenue from a $19 million bond issue voters approved in April 2024.
The biggest expense for the stadium project was the replacement of the grandstands/bleachers for $1.1 million. Other costs included demolition and removal of the old bleachers, a new scoreboard, asphalt and concrete replacement and new sidewalks, fencing, lighting and receptacles.
“Obviously it was more than just grandstands there,” Phipps said. “Restrooms were completely redone. I think I’ve heard as many compliments on the restrooms as the bleachers themselves.”
Originally, the district planned to use bond issue funds to replace the turf on the football field. However, flooding last May damaged the field, so insurance paid $499,900 of the $522,900 replacement cost, which meant the district only had to pay $23,000 from bond proceeds for the turf.
Other projects
Phipps said the district has completed several other bond issue projects, including the purchase and installation of technology, adding that the district originally budgeted nearly $1.7 million for technology and has spent $1.3 million.
“We literally now have an entirely new infrastructure for technology,” Superintendent Ron Farrow told the school board on April 15. “That’s exciting. That really sets us up in the future because these are things that will give us great technology for 10 years.”
The Athena Elementary School door replacement project was completed at a cost of $35,400, which was $14,600 under budget, Phipps said.
He said several projects are coming up.
Security cameras will be installed at the Early Childhood Center, the Annex, the Central Office and at the stadium this spring, and cameras will be installed at Athena and Vineland elementary schools this summer. The district originally had budgeted $360,000 in bond issue funding for the project, and the cameras will cost $507 over budget.
Phipps said the district has budgeted $150,000 for the De Soto High School security vestibule and security film project, but requests for proposals have not been sent out. He expects that project will be completed in summer 2026.
A contract has not yet been awarded for the Athena Elementary ADA accessibility project, which district officials believe will cost an estimated $1.3 million. However, the De Soto Junior High ADA seating project, estimated at $75,000, is expected to be awarded soon and completed this summer, he said.
Nearly $3.7 million is budgeted for roof replacement and repairs. The district, working with Daikin TMi, has divided the project into Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phipps said Phase 1 will address the most immediate and urgent roofing needs at all buildings this summer at a cost of nearly $2.5 million. Phase 2 should be completed during summer 2026.
He said HVAC repairs and replacements will begin this summer at Vineland Elementary and the Early Childhood Center, at a cost of more than $2.5 million, which is $230,000 over budget.
“(Daikin TMi is) extremely confident that the Junior High, High School and Athena projects will come in under the budget,” Phipps said.
“Vineland (HVAC) should be substantially done this summer,” he said. “The Early Childhood Center will be completed this summer.”
Athena’s HVAC project is currently budgeted at $1.25 million and should be completed in summer 2026. The High School and Junior High HVAC project is currently budgeted at $5.4 million and should be completed in summer 2026 as well, Phipps said.
He said the district also will replace windows at Vineland Elementary, which will cost $168,500, about $16,500 under budget. That project is set for completion this summer.
Phipps said the district will spend $478,943 to update exterior lighting at the district’s facilities, which is $21,057 under budget. The exterior lighting upgrades have been completed at Vineland, the Central Office, the Junior High and the Early Childhood Center. The J.C. Culwell Stadium lights were installed the week of April 7. The remaining lights at the high school and at Athena Elementary will be finished by next fall.
Complaint about company that worked on grandstands
During the public comments portion of the April 15 school board meeting, Jeremy Greil of De Soto, a union representative from Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, complained about the district using a non-union, out-of-state company for the grandstands. By using those workers, he said, the tax dollars did not stay in the county. Greil also said he doesn’t believe background checks were completed on any of those workers before they came on the campus, and he believes they were not paid prevailing wage.
“When the bond measure was passed, we began searching extensively for grandstand companies to perform this work,” Phipps said April 22. “We quickly learned there are not a ton of grandstand-specific companies that perform this particular work. Through our search of grandstand companies, we found a handful and began seeking bids and specs. Southern Bleacher was a company that has done work for other districts in the county (Festus in particular, fairly recently). We compiled all of the information and took all of the details (specs and pricing) to our district subcommittee.
“The subcommittee agreed that Southern Bleacher provided the best product and the most for our students within budget. Southern Bleacher is part of a purchasing cooperative, so we procured them through the cooperative. As part of the purchasing cooperative, districts are protected by assurances that these companies are meeting all Missouri state statutes pertaining to prevailing wages and other labor laws, specific and pertinent to public schools in the state of Missouri.
“Additionally, in all of our RFPs and/or contracts, it is noted that companies are required to meet prevailing wages and meet various guidelines. As contractors, companies occasionally hire subcontractors for various aspects of the labor. The expectation is that the contractor sets the same standards for those they are overseeing.”