More money for grandstand project

CLINTONVILLE – After already approving $116,849 to save the roof on the grandstand at Don Jirschele Stadium at W.A. Olen Park, the Clintonville Common Council approved up to an additional $11,000 to cover another problem with the project that was discovered after work on the project began.
The additional funds for the project was approved by the council at its reorganizational meeting April 15. The funds will come from the city’s contingency fund. Ald. Brad Rokus and Ald. Jeannie Schley were absent from the meeting.
“Essentially, this project, which continues to be a challenge, another challenge has arose with the canopy project,” Clintonville City Administrator Caz Muske told the council. “Essentially, there was some items found in the area that was not part of the scope (of the project). The contractor found some embedded blocks of concrete that was not part of what they had discovered initially, and quoted the project.”
Alderman Greg Rose asked how the embedded blocks of concrete were not known about.
“You would think that we would have done our homework and known about a giant block of concrete underneath something we were accusing didn’t have enough footings,” Rose said.

Muske said that was a good question, adding that she could follow up with Kunkel Engineering to figure out why the concrete blocks were a surprise.
In an April 8 email from Ryan Minlschmidt of RJM Construction, LLC to Clintonville Public Works Director Justin Mc Auly, Minlschmidt stated, “Obviously no one knew about this and no way of knowing for us. We just bid what we were told. It was froze and under snow when we bid.”
With the discovery of the concrete blocks buried by the grandstand, Rose asked if underground work was still needed for the project.
“Is the concrete that they found sufficient to meet the needs, and what we really need to concentrate on now is the steel overhead structure?” Rose asked.
Muske said it was her understanding that the buried concrete blocks would not support the new I-beams for the grandstand.
According to the email sent by Minlschmidt, he contacted the helical contractor for the project and was told the concrete blocks would need to be removed because leaving them in the ground would make the project cost prohibitive.
The new plan calls for the concrete blocks to be removed, which will involve excavation work to be done.

Council approval
Rose told the council that he has received a lot of positive feedback from those who use the baseball field and the supporters of the field, who are “thrilled” the city has decided to keep the roof on the grandstand.
“As difficult as it may seem to need to extend the project further and so forth, I feel we need to continue to see this through,” Rose said.

Muske told the council it should consider the baseball field a partnership with the Clintonville Athletic Club (CAC) and the Clintonville School District, who both use the baseball field.
“I would be interested, which we haven’t had a chance yet to connect with the school and CAC to see if they have any funding that would help offset some of the costs,” Muske said.
If the city doesn’t receive any financial assistance from the CAC or school district for the project, Muske said the city could continue to use emergency funds to pay for additional costs for the project.
Board President Darrell Hansen asked if the CAC or school district has offered to provide any financial assistance for the project so far.
“Well, I don’t think they’re going to offer it,” Hansen said.
Rose countered by saying the CAC is building Don’s Deck at the baseball field, and the city won’t be paying for any of the costs associated with that.
Clintonville Mayor Steve Kettenhoven said it was his understanding that the deck would belong to the CAC and they could move it at any time.
“So, it’s not going to be city property, it’s just going to be on city property,” Kettenhoven said.