Board OKs Field Fixes

WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg School Board last Thursday approved a project for the district's football field that would install three-phase power, new lights and provide enough power for a press box and future projects.

Colter Mohney, the facilities, transportation and maintenance supervisor for the district, had come to the board Feb. 8 with the knowledge that the current electrical system on the field and the poles, all of which are almost 40 years old, are not only insuffi cient, but a fire hazard as well.

Last Thursday, the board decided unanimously to approve $15,000 for the purchase of new poles and lights for the field, and about $24,000 for Doyle Electric to install the new system.

The board decided so quickly on the project because time is of the essence. Mohney said not only does the system run so hot the wires vibrate, but the poles have cracks the size of quarters running their length that could come down in a wind storm and be hazardous.

With spring sports and track season coming up at the end of the month, Mohney said he wanted to get to work as quickly as possible so the track can be torn up and the project completed and have everything repaired for the season.

Dr. Carol Clarke, the district's superintendent, said in the meeting on Feb. 8 that the project would deplete the district's capital improvement fund, leaving no money for repairs if something else breaks before the end of the school year. Last Thursday, Clarke said she would approach the Associated Student Body board members to see if they thought it justified to use some ASB funds to pay for the lights and the poles for the football field. Clarke said they would qualify for the use of ASB funds because the lights and poles are strictly for extracurricular activities.

" They have a rather healthy student body fund," Clarke said. "They should be able to give some support."

School board member Greg Zuger said he had already been asking community members for donations to the project and he had some verbal confirmation that some people could step up and help the district cover the cost of the project.

"It sounds as though we would have a lot of community support to continue," Clarke said.

The board discussed ways donors could be honored at the field or in the link at the high school. Board member Dr. Randy Pearson said the district could also run fundraisers after the project was complete to help replenish the capital improvement or ASB funds that provided the funds for the project.

The district also wants to move on this project quickly because of an offer from Walla Walla University to purchase its surplus lights and poles for $15,000, a great discount. The university is ready to get rid of them and would like to do so quickly, Mohney said.

Clarke said she had been speaking with a consultant on the project who told her "she would be crazy not to take those poles," she said.

Pearson wondered aloud if it was the appropriate time to ask the community for financial support for the project when the voters just passed a maintenance and operations levy last week and because the community just donated the funds and man power to put in a new press box.

"We need to communicate to our public that we can't wait," Clarke said. "We need those lights."

The public also needs to be aware that time is critical and that the money for this project is not coming from funds for programs and staff, Clarke added. The project was approved unanimously by the board after about an hour of discussion.

"It's the perfect time to do the whole thing," board member Marilyn Johnson said.