Suttons Bay's track team will have no place to call home this spring. But in the long run, it will be worth the wait for a new track.

The Suttons Bay Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to approve a recommendation from its building and grounds committee to accept a low bid of $214,000 from Northwest Michigan Construction for replacement of the athletic track that circles the football field.

The project, the second planned and supported by the district’s Field of Dreams committee, is expected to get under way this spring. The first phase, the replacement of the bleachers at the football field and installation of new goalposts, was completed last fall.

“There are no home track meets this year,” Superintendent Mike Murray said. “The tree roots are growing up through the track.”

The long-planned project includes removal of the existing asphalt, regrading, application of asphalt, and a new top surface.

“It’s a project they can get started this spring. But they have to wait to apply the asphalt until the ground is 70 to 72 degrees,” Murray said. “The worst area (with roots) is the southeast corner of the track.”

The project will be funded through a 2 percent grant from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the school’s sinking fund, and support from the Field of Dreams committee.

In addition to the new track, Norsemen fans have something else to look forward to when they return to the football field in the fall. School board members accepted a new scoreboard on behalf of the district Monday night that was donated by Northwestern Bank.

“The old scoreboard would short out and was unreliable,” Murray explained. Last month the superintendent told board members that there was nothing in the district’s policy book to prohibit the school from accepting the scoreboard as a donation. The new equipment will replace the old scoreboard at the south end of the field and will include the logo of Northwestern Bank. “It will have a wireless connection to the press box. We’ll be able to keep score without problems.”

In other business during the monthly meeting the board:

• Accepted the resignations of Montessori secretary Linda Dean and guidance counselor Jody Mackey. Mackey will complete the remainder of the year at Suttons Bay and return to the classroom for Traverse City Area Public Schools next year. “She decided that she’d rather be in the classroom with students,” Murray said.

Her position will be posted within the school community before it is advertised elsewhere.

• Designated the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation for investing the district’s endowment and scholarship funds.

• Added Traverse City State Bank to the list of designated depositories.

• Approved the Outdoor Adventure Club’s annual spring break trip to the Appalachian Trail, and Advanced Placement art students’ trip to New York City slated for May 15-21.