1) Football Stadium Bleachers - at two home football games (this year and last year) we had people fall through the bleachers and had to fix with temporary boards while the games were going on. The bleachers need to be replaced. - We are looking into quotes for cost of fixing or replacing bleachers. Jeff and Tim Bell have offered to sell us lumber at cost to help with saving the district some money.
2) Track - Our track has been unusable for hosting track meets several years now and is only getting worse. With the track being used by community members, elementary students as well as JSH students for PE and other activities, and the track teams, there needs to be some concern about injuries taking place on the cracked and peeling track. Horton is replacing their track and they are looking to spend 1.7 million dollars to get their track fixed.
3) Baseball/Softball Upgrades:
Update: After Ernie and Dr. Gaddis attended the County Commission meeting, there is some money collected in taxes that will allow us to make some upgrades to the baseball/softball complex. Coach Kasson, Coach Grillot, and I sat down and prioritized what needs to be upgraded over the next two years. Here are our priorities:
1. Fixing outdoor batting cages poles and nets
2. Getting Shade Built for overtop of the bleachers: Update: After meeting with contractors it makes the most sense to wait until we replace asphalts to put in new dugouts.
3. Installing a Hydrant closer to baseball field - will also benefit JH Football practice with access to water
4. Update and remodel dugouts to include better bleachers, cubbies for helmets and gloves, storage closet within the dugouts for easier access to equipment. Update: After meeting with contractors it makes the most sense to wait until we replace asphalts to put in new dugouts.
5. Building real bull pins for both fields on the home and visitor sides for pitchers to have a place to warm up. Update: Dr. Gaddis has had contractors already come out and look at what needs to be done, seems like we can proceed with getting this going soon.
6. New board and padding on the backstops for softball and baseball fields. Update: getting quotes for this project.
7. New Gator for dragging and marking the field Update: Dr. Gaddis is working on quotes.
8. Large bleachers for the softball field - they are much smaller than baseball
9. Real press boxes that are elevated for filming and scorekeeping
10. Sound System to play music, anthem, make announcements, and walk-up songs. Update: Quote was received by Mr. Kirby, approved, and items ordered. We are hoping to have sound systems installed and in use by the first home game.
11. New Scoreboard (which would include pitch counts) and Controllers. Update: the controllers were sent off to be fixed and been returned.
12. Storage building for equipment closer to the fields. Update: Mill Iron V has been contacted to help find the type of storage shed we are looking for.
13. New bases for the ECBA to be able to use that are seperate from the High School ones.
Update: We submitted our list to the county and all of the right now projects were accepted. Dr. Gaddis has had some contractors out to look at the work and some of the items we want to fix or add, would only make sense to complete at the same time as some of our long term projects. Gaddis spoke to the county about this and they decided they wanted us to submit a long term list instead and then the county will discuss.
For example adding in a elevated press box and sun shade for the bleachers would require digging into the asphalt, which needs replaced, so it doesn't make sense to do the sub shades and press bois, unless we are going to replace the asphalt too.
Dr. Gaddis has reached out to his contact at Mammoth and is having them work on some plans for many of these upgrades.
Other Items to potentially add to the long term plan:
1) Changing out toilets from porcelain to steel.
2) Adding venting system to concession so that hot dogs and hamburgers could be grilled inside on a counter top black stone. If this is not an option and new grill is needed.
3) Adding some kitchen cabinets to concessions for more storage.
4) Removing the garage door from concessions, closing it in to make serving windows - then may air conditioning window unit could be added to concession stand making it more bearable to work in on hot days.
