School Board Concerned About LA Bleachers

The Overton County School Board considering its options to improve the bleachers in Livingston Academy’s gym.

Board Member Ricky Dodson said some citizens have been struggling with the bleachers as there are no handrails to help people go up and down. Dodson said the board could look into a removable railing system like the one at Rickman Elementary.

“I got stopped at Hardee’s this week, four asked me there about getting them put in,” Dodson said. “I’d just like to see us put them in. It’s a safety hazard, it really is. Some older people cannot get up in there and they can’t get seats on the lower level. So they’ve had to stand a little and stand over to the side.”

Dodson said he looked into the cost to completely replace the bleachers with electric ones in the past and got a quote for around $3 million. Architect Brian Templeton said he would get a new quote to see what pricing would look like now.

“You’d push a button over there next to the wall and it would fold them up on the wall,” Dodson said. “Be no more hand pushing them up.”

Board Chair William Abston said the board could combine the bleacher replacement project with a plan to redo the gym floor. Board Member Mike Hayes said removing the bleachers now would risk damaging the floor even further.

“The part they’ve redone multiple times, they’ve had to sand that down so thin to match the gym because they only replace a section,” Hayes said. “And it’s so weak that it just cracks and buckles.”

Abston said the board will consider any new information about prices and logistics for the bleachers at its next work session. Board Member Shirley Myers said she has had at least six people ask her about adding railings as well.