"They're ready to pour the footers," he said. "The platforms and steps are coming."
He hopes for approval from code officials by Monday.
The most expensive part of the ADA upgrade is the ramping, Bender said, but it will be permanent.
The grandstands were declared unsafe in March when a floorboard cracked during a track meet. The district is spending $604,000 to repair the visitors side, which seats about 2,600 people, and put portable bleachers for 1,200 in the end zones.
The current concession stands at the stadium are not usable, he added. A new concession stand could be combined with restrooms, he said, so utilities would have to be run to only one location. Utilities run under McKinley Street to the south of the school. Restrooms would be ADA-approved.
"We'll give the concepts to the architect and let him design it to code," Bender said. "We need the board to give us direction so we can get the architect focused to get us where we need to be."
The committee also discussed whether to put in a six-lane or eight-lane track.
While 42-inch lanes are recommended, Bob Walker, the boys track coach, said 36-inch lanes are adequate. The track currently has six, 36-inch lanes; he would like to have eight lanes.
"We had injuries this year because of congestion on the track. It's a safety issue," Walker said.
Having eight lanes also would make hosting Mid Penn track meets feasible, he added.
"Once we do it, it's a done deal," girls track coach Chris Monheim added.
Committee member Stanley Helman said only three feet would have to be added around the track to accommodate eight 36-inch lanes. Light poles and utilities that would have to be moved for an eight-lane, 42-inch track might not have to be moved, reducing the cost.
Bender said he would meet with the engineers and get more information for the eight-lane track.
High School Principal Barry Purvis spoke in favor of artificial turf for the football field rather than a natural surface. Athletic Director Don Folmar agreed.
"Artificial is definitely the way to go," Folmar said. "Eight of our 10 opponents are on artificial turf."
"It makes it a multisport field," Bender added.
Bender said he will get a price for seating for 4,500 people for each side before the next meeting.
"We had 10,000 here a couple times when we were undefeated in 1989," he said.
