An insurance inspector recently visited the Conneaut School District and advised of needed improvements in the football field bleachers at each of the three high schools due to safety concerns, members of the board of education were told when they met in work session last week.

All nine board members were present: Dr. Carol Bocan, Lorri Drumm, Rick Kelley, Cheryl Krachkowski, Gina Mattera Mc- Cauley, Jody Sperry, Dr. Walter Thomas, Lora Zill, and David Schaef.

Prior to the start of the meeting, retiring superintendent Rick Rossi was honored at a cake and punch reception and presented a plaque denoting his 8 years of service in the district. He retires effective November 30, but is away this week, and will be on vacation during November meeting dates.

School board members, also prior to the meeting, sampled offerings from the cafeteria program to be aware of what it is the students are served in the cafeteria both at lunch and breakfast.

The insurance inspection advised that the bleachers on the homeside of the football fields do not meet current standards for reducing the possibility of a small child falling through existing openings to the ground as there are greater than 4- inch gaps between footboards and seat boards and between railings.

It is recommended that all openings between seat boards and footboards, located 30 inches or more above grade, be provided with intermediate construction such that a four-inch diameter sphere cannot pass through as well as blocking space between guardrails and footboards/seatboards. An engineer’s review is recommended.

It was advised a family seating area be reserved to keep family seating in lower rows only and also that ushers should be provided at all activities to inform and escort families with small children to the family seating area as an interim measure until new bleachers are installed.

A similar problem was noted in the gymnasium/auditorium at Conneaut Valley High School as well.

It is estimated to cost many thousands of dollars to replace the bleachers to meet current standards with a suggestion that a several years’ program be put into place to replace all the bleachers to bring them into compliance.