Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday discussed improvements to the stadium bleachers at the high school, as well as buying an electronic message board during committee meetings.

Repairs are needed to the bleachers on both the home and visitor sides, as well as some fall-prevention measures need installation, Superintendent Ray Kinder told the board.

The visitors side has seen significant wear-and-tear, and many of the parts needed are proprietary, he said.

Estimates on the cost are around $68,000, said Ken Dunkelberger, chief operations officer.

The district got some complaints about two years ago about some planks being loose, and some issues with the bars, Dunkelberger said. They also looked at areas the insurance carrier has pointed out as safety issues, even though the structure is grandfathered, he said.

The areas needing repairs on the visitors’ side are newer, whereas the older, welded sections continue to hold up, Dunkelberger said.

He anticipates having quotes for the board to review in April. The district will be going with a state-approved dealer for the parts, and it will be under a COSTARS contract.

The board also discussed buying a new electronic sign/message board for the high school.

Kinder said that the sign will come from Bartush Signs, a COSTARS vendor, at a cost of $31,500 using the SHEPP Fund. These funds are allocated to the school’s seniors to use on any student-related venture, he said.

They will be combining two years of funding for the purchase of the electronic sign, which other schools are also using, Kinder said.

School Board President Larry Wittig asked if the sign would be located in the same area, and Kinder said he believed it would be.

The Finance Committee also approved the 2022-2023 CSIU Accounting, Human Resources and Payroll Software Agreement at an approximate cost of $22,000, and the purchase of a Time Clock System from TimeClock Plus LLC, of San Angelo, Texas, a COSTARS vendor, for $47,820.