By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Monday night the school board exercised its option to purchase an additional 40 acres at the new middle school site at the same $8,500 price as the initial 60 acres, for a total purchase of about $339,000.
The board agreed to scale back its press box, bleacher and concessions building project at the new middle school after a second round of bids exceeded budget.
Dowagiac will delay the concession building for now and pursue only the $200,509 represented by the Cassopolis-built press box and 400 bleachers, including a $25,000 scoreboard.
Superintendent Larry Crandall said between 250 and 300 people took advantage of Saturday's first official public open house for the new middle school at 57072 Riverside Drive.
The June 20 meeting began with a moment of silence in tribute to Union High student Orlando Galvan, 18, and his father, Manuel Bermudez, 41, who were electrocuted Sunday on Edwards Street when a 40-foot irrigation pipe touched a 7,200-volt powerline.