RIVER FALLS — The School District of River Falls’ Board of Education approved a bid that would use 2024 referendum dollars for pedestrian safety and an additional parking lot at the high school at the July 6 special board meeting.

Director of Finance and Facilities Lynette Coy said a major piece in going to referendum at the time was a middle school fire suppression system, as the original architect told the district it would be required. Coy said district representatives continued to ask if the system was necessary and required, being met with answers that the architect believed it was. The district ultimately learned that the system was only required in Minnesota, where the architect is based, which led to the item being dropped. With some of the excess funds from the referendum that would have gone toward the system, the board voted to accept an $870,799 base bid from Total Excavating & Grading for the pedestrian safety improvements and extra parking lot at the high school. Adding additional contingencies (bad soils contingency and general contingency) that were calculated using worst-case estimations, the project would total $1,110,299.

“Here’s where we are. We have an opportunity to handle some pedestrian safety improvements at the high school, as well as add a much desired, to my understanding, additional parking in the back of the school,” Coy said.

There are limits to what the school can use referendum dollars for. As safety was an item mentioned under the referendum question, Superintendent David Bell said the project would fit the legal requirements.

“We can’t just pick projects that we think are necessary. They have to fit under the scope of the question that was asked,” Bell said. “The question that was asked addresses district-wide safety, security, building systems, ground and infrastructure improvements.

“A referendum question, you want to be as detailed as possible to give those who are making the decision to vote yes or no on it, give them as much detail as possible, but also write the final question in a way that gives you the flexibility,” Bell said.

The safety changes involve rerouting vehicles for events that take place on school grounds, walkway improvements and a retaining wall.

The district reached out to seven recommended businesses for bidding, but Total Excavating & Grading was the lone bidder. Matt Wolfert of Bray Architects said although just one bid was submitted, the bid was in line with the expected project cost.

With the full contingency numbers applied, there would be about $800,000 remaining in the referendum fund.