Despite current litigation in regards to the Joe Debely Stadium Renovation Project, the Turlock Unified School District (TUSD) Board of Trustees authorized District administration to enter into a lease/leaseback agreement, site lease agreement and sublease agreement with Roebbelen Contracting, Inc. for the Joe Debely Stadium Renovation Project at Tuesday night’s March 16, 2010 TUSD Board Meeting.The original estimated cost of the stadium renovation was to be around $2.8 million in which the Turlock City Council, acting as the Turlock Redevelopment Agency, approved giving the School District the City’s RDA funds toward the project.
An additional $600,000 was then added onto the project because of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance requirements.
The total funding the TUSD Board considered increased to an estimated $3.69 million as building two new restrooms was also proposed at Tuesday night’s Board Meeting.
A group of citizens, the Turlock Citizens Coalition (TCC), has filed a lawsuit against the project based mostly around issues that they say will increase use and traffic that will majorly impact the neighboring residents in a negative manner.
TCC attorney Richard Harriman had requested a court ordered hold on the project until his client’s lawsuit amendment hearing in July 2010. The request was denied by the court.
The Joe Debely Stadium Renovation Project construction agreement was unanimously approved, while choosing the expensive option to include building two new restrooms, totaling $3.69 million.
The TUSD Board of Trustees received a standing ovation from an audience of around 70 people after the decision.
The Joe Debely Stadium Renovation Project should is scheduled to begin on April 5, 2010 and to be completed within a 135 calendar day time frame.
TUSD Deputy Superintendent Ed Felt presented a new Joe Debely Stadium Facility Rules and Use Agreement that will be in place following the completion of the Joe Debely Stadium Modernization Project.
The information provided stated that there will be required TUSD supervision (more of a host than a key holder), times of use with a start of 7:30am and close of 9:00pm (unless otherwise permitted), no noise devises air horns, whistles, etc, THS PA will be the only amplified sound system, no music unless approved, disruptive use of PA is prohibited, alcohol and tobacco prohibited, no tents with spikes (use weights), no tape, glue, etc., and other specific rules in regards to being on the artificial surfaces.
Some of the new stadium rules addressed some of the neighbors supporting the lawsuit saying that their neighborhood would be negatively impacted by increased use, bringing increased noise.
The TCC is still requesting through their lawsuit that the stadium renovation project go through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) which would study the potential impacts and report the findings.