Construction needs occupied the Fort Dodge Community School District Board of Education Monday.

District Maintenance Director Ryan Utley presented the board with order updates from the Dodger Stadium and Feelhaver Elementary School upgrades. The board approved a new discus and shot-put area located just outside Dodger Stadium and sidewalk upgrades around the facility, while reflective glass was approved for Feelhaver Elementary’s door and window replacement project.

“All three items are needed,” Utley said. “We had originally received clear glass for the elementary windows, but since the rest of the district has reflective glass, we went a similar route.”

“The discus and shot-put areas did need to be moved as originally the discus competition would end up landing in the outfield of the baseball stadium,” Superintendent Josh Porter said. “This will give the track programs much needed room for both. We also had some concrete remaining, so the company noted they would be willing to make some sidewalk improvements.”

In other action items, the board:

• Approved an overhaul of the chiller at the middle school. According to Utley, Trane, which does the maintenance, said that the equipment has a life of 12 to 15 years with the current one at the middle school being 14 years old.

“The costs of fixes, parts and so forth would just continue to increase if we stick with the current one,” he said.

• Approved the purchase of student math workbooks for the 2025-26 year at a cost of $44,355.27. According to Curriculum Director Teri Goetzinger, the books were updated through the local area education agency to significantly bring down costs and provide more learning opportunities.

Prior to the regular meeting, Porter and the board heard from RSP and Associates of Kansas City, Missouri, during a work session for some fact finding.

“We wanted to see where we are at,” Porter said. “This presentation shows how this company, dealing with school planning, evaluates boundaries and enrollment and their projections.”

The next meeting of the Fort Dodge Community School Board is scheduled for noon July 23.