Ark Valley News - Artificial turf for practice fields?

Artificial turf for practice fields?
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: January 12, 2017

The marching band uses the nearby parking lot. The soccer teams go to the District Stadium to practice whenever it's open. The football team avoids them all together.

The practice football fields behind Valley Center High School are unsafe and largely unusable, district officials say.

Now, the school board is considering an estimated $1.4 million project to install artificial turf on the two fields. The board will vote next month on whether to seek bids for the project.

"When we were using it for football and soccer, every day it seems, there would be new ankles rolled or knee injuries," said VCHS Principal Jamie Lewis. "… Our primary issue is the safety of the kids, plus everything we have tried has not worked. It's not been effective."

Efforts to grow grass on the fields and get rid of holes and divots have been unsuccessful, said Superintendent Cory Gibson.

"We've tried to do some work on them," he said. "It's been a concern from day one on the job."

Gibson added that the amount of water pumped from wells at the school exceeded the district's state-imposed allotment the past three years. Gibson said the district could be fined if it continues.

If approved, the work could take place this summer and be ready for the fall.

The turf had been identified as a need during the run-up to last spring's vote on a bond issue for building renovations and additions.

Gibson, however, said the district has capital outlay funds — spread out over two years — to pay for the project, and he didn't want to wrap up the expense in the $18 million bond issue.

Gibson said he wanted the school board to take a month to consider the proposal and discuss it in February.

"If we don't do this, we've got to do something (with the practice fields)," Gibson said.

Other capital projects proposed for 2017 include maintenance work at the baseball and softball fields, tennis courts and track, playground upgrades at the intermediate school, and electronic signs at West, Wheatland and Abilene.

In other business Jan. 9, the board:

•Approved a new mileage reimbursement rate of 53.5 cents, down by .5 cents.

•Approved gifts of ball chairs at West Elementary, glasses for an intermediate school student from the Valley Center Lions Club, a lizard setup and tank for the intermediate school from the Pet Care Trust, and $1,000 for the high school PE department from Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

•Approved the disposal of library books from Wheatland and a laminator from the high school.

•Heard a report from the high school site council.

•Heard a report from high school teachers Gavin Couvelha and Ty Unrau about "Hornet Highlights" broadcasting classes and activities.

•Heard an update on the district's strategic plan, "VC Vision 2020."

•Heard a mid-year review of the district's finances. "We're in great fiscal shape," Gibson said.

•Appointed board members Richard Harris and Rhonda Price as voting members on the negotiations committee and Brad Barbour as an alternate.

•Met in executive session for 20 minutes to discuss personnel.

•Approved the renewal of Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance for employees. With an increase in co-insurance out-of-pocket expenses (from $1,000 to $2,500 for a single policy and from $2,000 to $5,000 for a family plan), the increase in premiums will be about 6 percent, rather than the anticipated 9 percent without the co-insurance changes. Renewal will be effective April 1.

•Discussed prioritized staffing needs. The top tier includes a teacher for third grade and a teacher for fifth grade as well as a college and career liaison for the high school. The teacher positions won't cost additional funds because two similar positions will be eliminated due to class sizes. Priority two positions (a total of $220,000) include a middle school college and career liaison, a maintenance and HVAC technician, a district-level social worker, an interventionist at the high school and a part-time PE teacher at the intermediate school.

•Accepted the resignation of Steve Duarte (middle school custodian, Jan. 13) and the retirement of Peggy Souder (ESOL coordinator, May 23).