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NORTH MANCHESTER - Dana Wannemacher, an architect at Barton Coe Vilamaa, Fort Wayne, asked the Manchester school board Tuesday which seat they wanted.
He questioned whether the board would like to replace the Peabody seats now in the Manchester High School gym with plastic seats that fill "every major ballpark," from the Yankees' to the Diamondbacks' stadiums.
"I know there is a lot of tradition there. I felt I should bring the issue to you for discussion," said Wannemacher.
The Peabody seats have lasted 40 years, according to Kim Thurston, acting superintendent. Wannemacher said the plastic seats' life expectancy is seven years. The new seats would be easily replaced, though, with manufactured parts, while the Peabody seats must be made as needed.
The new chairs would be easier to change with two bolts, a hinge "and five minutes to fix," said Randy Self, high school assistant principal. The new seats, he said, make good sense. Self is on the gym renovation committee.
Wannemacher said the new seats have a one-year warranty.
"Then there is no warranty," said Todd Speicher, board member. Wannemacher shrugged.
Speicher just shook his head after hearing about the seating.
"No decision is expected tonight," said Thurston.
The board-appointed renovation committee heard from Wannemacher previously about the seating but deferred the decision to the school board. Sally Krouse, board president, said the committee was formed so the school board would not have make every decision.
At Wannemacher's recommendation, the North Manchester community will have an opportunity sit in the proposed seats.
At tonight's boys basketball game at home against Mississinewa, the public will have a chance to test the proposed seats. The junior varsity game starts at 6:15 p.m. The same opportunity for seat testing is available at Saturday's basketball games.
The renovation committee is: Thurston; Nancy Alspaugh, high school principal; Randy Self, high school assistant principal; Steve Shumaker, high school athletic director; Gary Goshert, PE/heath department chairman and varsity boys basketball coach; Mark Underwood, varsity girls basketball coach; Jim Shuler, Manchester Community Schools maintenance supervisor; Joe Frantz, business owner and parent; Elden Stoops, lawyer and parent; Betsy Keffaber, preschool teacher and parent; Larry Miller, school board member; and Todd Speicher, school board member.
In other business, the school board:
• Heard from Wannemacher about heating and cooling the gymnasium. Currently, the gym has a 240-ton ice storage system.
In the least expensive layout, Wannemacher proposed adding a 23-ton air heating unit for $221,000. As an alternative, a 60-ton chiller was proposed along with the 23-ton air heating unit for $336,000. The amounts given were only mechanical costs. Besides those costs are electrical costs, structural support costs and a replaced ceiling cost.
• Approved a Manchester Junior High golf team. Jack Vineyard and Quinn Griffing were approved as volunteer coaches.
Randy Gratz, Manchester Junior High School principal, said last year, the golf club played five matches "and won all five." He said the students are showing "strong interest due to numbers." The club has 20 to 25 students involved.
"We have a real positive program for a minimal amount of money," said Gratz. The costs are $400 for golf team shirts and "number of balls purchased, based on your level," said Gratz.
The school board members present at the meeting were president Sally Krouse, secretary Brad Perrott, Thom Frantz, Todd Speicher, assistant superintendent and acting superintendent Kim Thurston and school corporation attorney Al Schlitt. Absent were vice president Virginia Gunter and Larry Miller.
