Alta‑Aurelia Superintendent Denny Olhausen says the school district will move forward with shifting high school football games and track meets to Aurelia, following months of discussion and a packed board meeting Monday night.
Olhausen told Storm Lake Radio the decision aligns with two core objectives: providing the best facilities possible for students, and investing taxpayer dollars into property the district actually owns.
About 35 people attended Monday’s meeting, and more than a dozen spoke during the public comment portion — including Alta’s city attorney and several residents. Olhausen said he listened to all feedback, but he says much of the opposition did not align with the district’s student‑focused goals.
The board then discussed next steps for both the old Alta High School building and the district’s athletic facilities. Olhausen said it was the administration — not the board — that made the final decision on the location of football and track, consistent with how facility decisions are typically handled. The board’s Buildings and Grounds Committee will now begin prioritizing specific upgrades in Aurelia.
Those projects include a new concession stand to replace the current structure that floods during heavy rain, resurfacing the track, ADA improvements to bleachers, and exploring options for a new press box.
Olhausen said the district is also weighing long‑term parking needs in Aurelia, but major improvements are not financially feasible right now. The district expects to have about $2.5 million remaining from SAVE bonding after completing the new athletic performance complex in Alta, and the first priority for those funds is demolishing the north end of the old Alta High School.
A major point of tension has been the district’s 28E agreement with the City of Alta. The agreement dates back to 1962 and outlines shared use of the city‑owned football field and the school‑owned little league fields. The city argues the move breaks a “long‑standing collaboration,” writing in a Facebook post Monday that the school has shown “little communication” and is “no longer interested in that collaboration.”
But Olhausen says the district is still honoring the agreement. He says the 28E requires continued use and maintenance of the Alta field — not that games or meets must be held there.
Olhausen said the district has consistently maintained the Alta field — replacing bleacher boards, repairing lights and wiring, and resurfacing the track twice in the past decade — and will continue to do so. He also pushed back on claims that the district has not been collaborative with the city, noting that school and city representatives have met, even though the board declined a full joint meeting.
Alta Mayor Desi Suter declined to comment publicly when contacted by Storm Lake Radio, saying she wants to speak to the full city council about the issue first. She plans to add it to Tuesday night’s council agenda.
Olhausen acknowledged the frustration among some Alta residents who feel their community is losing an activity hub, but said the district must stay focused on what best serves students across both towns.
No formal board action was required Monday, and the district will now begin developing cost estimates and timelines for the Aurelia facility upgrades.
