ON THE BENCH

By Byron Higgin, Mascot Publisher

“Too old, and too small,” said Minneota Superintendent Dan Deitte about the bleachers at K. P. Kompelien field.
The bleachers that have seen fans cram into them for football games and crowd each other for baseball games are not longer able to serve Minneota, says the superintendent.
At the school board meeting on Monday he said it’s likely the bleachers won’t be “compliant” when inspectors look them over.
“If they are tagged as non-compliant, we have to ask you what you want to do,” said Supt. Deitte.
The issue was brought up officially for the first time last week so the school board will need time to study  it.
The bleachers were supposed to hold 300 people but officials say that’s stretching it. They’d like to expand the seating to 500.
So they set “Stadium” Steve Snyder loose on the project.
Snyder, of “Seating And Athletic Facility Enterprises, LLC” of Ellendale, MN came  back with a quote of $67,590.
This would include five rows of seats and 500 seats, elevated front walkway with wheel chair entrances, vertical aisles with center rails and anodized aluminum seats plus a chain link fence guard rail on all four sides.
“Stadium” Steve also included 10 rows of 27-foot long seats for the baseball bleachers for $11,070.
There’s a chance of gaining Health and Safety funds for the project to help the school district offset the costs.
Supt. Deitte said the first step was to have them inspected, “red tagged” for non-compliance, then apply for the funds.
It would be nice to see new bleachers at the field that so many have enjoyed for so many years.
The current bleachers are inadequate so this is the perfect time to make the change.

Breakin at football field
Police Chief Eric Johnson reports a second breakin at the concession stand at K.P. Kompelien football field last weekend.
The door was damaged and pop and candy was taken from the stand. “We’re offering a $100 reward for information,” said Police Chief Eric Johnson.
He asked residents with imformation to call the village hall or access the village website. An earlier break-in at the field occurred around Bug Days in August.

FOOTBALL RANKINGS
The top nod in the Class A Football Rankings by the Associated Press went to New Ulm Cathedral.
The Minneota Vikings were ranked third.
Here’s the latest rankings:
CLASS A
1. New Ulm Cathedral, 8-0
2. Fosston, 8-0
3. Minneota, 8-0
4. Barnesville, 8-0
5. Blooming Prairie,7-1
6. Springfield, 7-1
7. West.-Walnut Grove,8-0
and Dawson-Boyd, 6-2
9. Browerville, 7-1
10. East Central, 7-0
Others receiving votes:  Mahnomen, St. Bernards.