Board still pushing for new stadium, roof repairs cause delay

TONAWANDA - With the Mullen elementary roof almost fully completed the board looked to discuss future plans for the new football stadium and the music wing in the high school. The board was distressed over rumors in the community that the project was dead in the water and they assured the public that it is not.

The $11 million dollar capital project allows for approximately $600,000 in contingency funds. The Mullen roof has gone over budget by $170,000, but that comes from it never being installed correctly in the 1960s. It was planned that the budget allowed for $25,000 to $35,000 of overage, which has been far exceeded.

Project manager Peter Buckley said, “It is not an overwhelming disparity to attend to with an $11 million project.”

He added that without starting the work on the roof they never would have known how bad it was.

“So I’m glad that we did it. I wouldn’t want to see another winter like this,” said Buckley

While the board is awaiting approval from the state on the rest of the project, which should come in around Thanksgiving, the representatives from Wendel said that there is nothing that could jeopardize the project from moving forward.

In other school board news:

• Heroes come in all sizes will be the theme at Mullen Elementary School next week as students and faculty try to raise money for a second grade student who has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

In conjunction with the American Cancer Society, Mullen will hold a Relay Recess next week wrapping it up with their Hero Walk at 1:45 p.m Friday, Oct. 5. Principal Jessica Lyons invites friends and family to join in the walk.

Lyons said that the boy has been in and out of the hospital the last few months and they are looking to help the family subsidize medical costs. She said during this week children will also be learning about Cancer, ways to prevent it and how to make healthy choices.

During the week students will have special dress down days for $1. They can also purchase feet for $1 and luminaria bags for $5 that can be dedicated to someone battling cancer.

For more information on how you can contribute go to http://www.tonawandacsd.org and click on the link for Mullen elementary, information about all the events are in the sidebar.