Mandatory upgrades to concession stands will be under way at the Tamaqua Area Sports Stadium.

"We have to retrofit the booster stands if they want to fry foods," explained Superintendent Carol Makuta at Tuesday's regular board meeting.While the stands are operated by volunteer booster organizations, the district expects to front the funding to make the upgrades happen, spending perhaps $10,000 or more to meet safety requirements. The board will then coordinate a reimbursement schedule with the various booster clubs, spreading payment over a few years to lessen the burden.However, some of those booster organizations have little working capital, having reinvested their "profits" in the groups they support."The football boosters are not in a position to give us $2,000 in the first year and $2,000 in the second year," said Makuta. "They would give us $1,000 each year ... they'd be willing to work with us," she added.As for the soccer boosters, "they're still deliberating," said Makuta, adding that no renovations would be done to that concession stand as of right now.The Tamaqua Area Raider Band Boosters have provided an OK for the upgrades at their concession stand, it was noted.School Board President Larry Wittig questioned, in general terms, the estimated costs of retrofitting."Who shopped this? Ten thousand dollars per stand seems over the top," Witting commented.It was noted that the work must be performed according to code and all applicable requirements pertaining to food preparation.