WEST ALEXANDRIA — The Twin Valley Community Local Schools Board of Education held a special community meeting on Monday, July 6, to begin a preliminary discussion on the home-side bleachers at their football field and track.

While no major decisions were made, the board voted unanimously in favor of hiring Cornett Custom Concrete, a local West Alexandria business, to perform demolition of the home-side bleachers at a cost of $5,150.

Other items – such as the purchase of temporary bleachers or the pouring of a concrete slab versus using gravel – remain unresolved until the regularly scheduled meeting held on July 20.

The bleachers were not up to code and had begun starting to fall off the footers.

“I’m sure if you wanted to try to get (the current bleachers) close to code you are going to be halfway or at least a third of the way to (the cost of) new bleachers. They are past their useful life,” said Preble County Commissioner and West Alexandria Village Administrator Chris Day.

Day was involved in the construction of the visitor side bleachers in 2001. When South constructed those, it cost them $30,000 for 540 seats, including 10 handicap spots. They also constructed the bleachers themselves to save cost.

Day also estimated the new bleachers, with the purchase of temporary seats as well, will cost an estimated $200,000 for the school.

South cannot use their current temporary bleachers as seating for the season because they are not up to code either.

The board was in agreeance that they would take this season to allow for donations and to try and find as much funding as possible, because getting the bleachers erected in time for the first football game on August 28 was too much of a stretch.

“I’d hate to rush into something and be able to find a better deal out there if you just took some time,” said TV board member Sean Maggard.

They also agreed to take the two weeks until the July meeting to reach out to businesses and corporations and inquire about potential donations to the school.

While the bleachers will require some customization, South received estimates for bleachers that were around 150 feet long and 10 tiers.

But distances vary from estimate to estimate, and the numbers provided were preliminary.

Athletic Director Tony Augspurger said the lack of seating will not affect any event held at the stadium except for football games.

The Panthers host home games the first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth week of the season.