OISD board approves up to $1.2 mln to rehab baseball fields
The boys and girls of summer will take to new baseball fields next year if all goes according to a plan approved by Olney Independent School District’s board of trustees.
The OISD board unanimously approved a proposal to spend up to $1.2 million to clean up and repair the baseball complex on East Main Street three months after voters rejected a $6 million bond measure to overhaul the dilapidated buildings and five playing fields. The bond measure included a property tax increase of 9.82 cents per $100 valuation.
At a special meeting July 8, the board voted unanimously to accept a proposal by Mount Pleasant-based Symmetry Sports Construction to install natural grass turf and irrigations systems, and upgrade lighting and backstops on the baseball and softball fields.
“It’s long overdue and I’m excited to get a good start on it,” Dr Roach said after the meeting. “It’s like a foundation for your house: we get good playing fields in for the children which is the first thing and after that we can start working on all the other aspects of the park out there, including the Little League fields, the T-ball fields, because all five of those fields out there are ours now. It’s our responsibility to keep them looking good and functioning for the public.”
The school district signed a 50-year lease with the City of Olney for the baseball and softball fields to direct the improvements and maintain the fields for student ballplayers and Little Leaguers.
Work on the fields is scheduled to begin in September, and to last about two months, said Dwain Milam, business development manager for Symmetry and a former school superintendent for Jacksboro Independent School District.
The board set aside another $200,000 to $300,000 to upgrade the existing restrooms, dugouts and concession stand, and for other costs such as new light poles and demolition work, if needed.
Trustee Jeff Harvey, who works at Fort Belknap Electric Co-op, said he could source some new lighting poles if the project requires it.
“There’s an avenue for a little help to replace some of the poles,” he said.
The proposal falls short of the board’s previous plan to fix drainage problems, upgrade the five fields with artificial turf and new lighting and fencing, replace the roofless concession stand and aging restrooms and add new bleachers, dugouts and a press box.
All the same, “it’s going to look a whole lot different,” Dr. Roach said. “And over time we can add the other things we need out there. But if we get the playing fields in and get the lights up and get it cleaned up out there it’s going to make a huge difference - just what we’re doing now. This gives us a start and then over time we can continue.”
Trustee Kyle Hinson questioned whether the district was taking on risk and expense in installing grass fields during a drought, and when outdoor watering may be curtailed or stopped altogether.
Athletic director Jody Guy said the school can pump water from a pond next to the football field to irrigate the new baseball fields.
Girls Athletics Coach Mollie Pace said she didn’t mind the additional maintenance required for natural turf “as long as it’s the right grass and has the right conditioner on it.”
“That’s a game changer compared to what we have,” she said.
Hinson said the district would try to work out an arrangement with the city to keep the fields irrigated during drought restriction, but could fall back on the pond to establish the new turf this fall.
“If Coach Guy says he’s fine with grass going forward and Coach Pace says she’s fine with it then that’s what the money is for,” Hinson said. “We need to make sure it’s somebody’s job to do [the maintenance] and we need to support them.”
Funds for the ballfield rehab came from savings from the district’s $10 million annual budget that Dr Roach planned to use for upgrades to the high school football fields.
“I’ve just been saving money - it’s a fund balance,” Dr. Roach said. “We will spend that [$1.2 million] and we will regroup and spend some more.”