School board supports turf traction

Picture1The new turf for the Jerry Brewer Alumni Stadium passed another hurdle at the Jasper Consolidated School Board meeting Monday.

“The overall project is large in scope, but we feel like we can certainly garner enough interest in private funding to put in a turf field by next year.”

Jasper Football Booster Club president Richard Farr made that comment when he appeared at the Greater Jasper School board meeting Monday, September 22, to request board approval to begin fundraising efforts.

Farr said that his organization has been granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status by the IRS, so they are poised to begin raising around $800,000 for just the artificial surface itself and if there is more, two new entryways into the stadium would be added.

But, he also said that they would not begin to raise money without the board’s approval.

Farr told the board that he does not believe that his group can raise the entire $4 million that it would take to complete the entire project, which would include putting in the new artificial surface and performing the renovations to the facilities including new stands, locker rooms, restrooms, concession areas, a large pavilion and two new entryways – one on the north side of the facility, the other on the south side.

Pictur2Several board member said that they could not justify putting money towards a renovation project, when the school corporation is facing an elementary school space issue.

“We’re certainly going to work closely with Tracy (Lorey) with Scott (Stenftenagel) and others, and basically partner with the board in this project, if granted approval, and make sure we do something that we can all be proud of, we call all support, we can all fund adequately, with virtually no debt,” Farr said.

He said the group’s priorities are the artificial turf field, and the two entryways as phase one of the two part project.

He said if the fundraising is more successful than they anticipate the extra money could be put towards the pavilion area.

The group wants to have at least the artificial turf in place for the beginning of next year’s football season.

The stadium itself is rich in history.  It is 53 years old and saw its first action in the fall of 1961.  Jim Rohleder was the first Wildcat to make a touchdown at the field.

Farr says the total package with all enhancements would turn the project into a 2 to 3 year plan with the need to raise funds for what would be phase 2 of the renovations.

He also said that he doesn’t expect the school board to put money into the project. He said it would be overly presumptuous on his part to expect the school board to put down $2 million to finish out the project.

The facility is showing its age, a point that Farr pointed out to the board. “I think at some point, we as a community will have to address our aging stadium. As we talked last time, accessibility for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), restroom capacity is not what it should be, so we’ll have to address it at some point as a community.”

Board member Ken Schnaus asked if Farr is looking at conditional donations – those that would allow donations of a specific size to include naming rights on parts of the stadium.

Farr acknowledged that the scenario would help them raise money and with board approval would accept such conditions.

Schnaus asked what the school system is paying now to maintain the existing grass field. Jasper Athletic Director Andy Noblitt and Superintendent Tracy Lorey put a pencil to the numbers and submitted a figure of $19,204 annually.

Noblitt said that re-seeding – called ‘sprigging’ –  has to be done whenever weather dictates – a situation that the school is faced with now.  That price is $10,000.00 and is not included in the $19,204 figure.  He also said that periodic equipment costs to maintain the grass field is not included either.

In short, Noblitt says that when added together, the savings of an artificial turf field are much greater than a grass surface.  He cited the artificial turf field at Southridge and Evansville Vanderburgh Schools as an example.

Braun asked if the return to a grass field would be possible after 10 years if the costs to maintain the artificial field were found to be higher than anticipated. He was told ‘yes’ by Farr.

Dr. Lorey and Noblitt reported that another addition to expenses with a grass field is the equipment that it takes to keep the field mowed. Replacement cost of that equipment isn’t included in the estimates.

Board President Nancy Habig said that her main concern was still the safety of the athletes that use the field.

Noblitt said that he would compile more independent information on safety. He added that artificial turf field development has improved greatly.

Habig expressed satisfaction with the research done by Farr and Noblitt – to the point of being ready to vote for the new artificial surface.

Southwest entrance
Southwest entrance

Her objections included the cost of the entryways and that the space issue at the elementary schools trumps the renovation project if the school corporation is asked to put money into it.

Other objections to the entryways included that the school corporation does not own the parking lot across 2nd Street that is used for parking for events at the stadium, and could lose the use of that lot if the city decided to use it for something else.

Noblitt says that currently two-thirds of ticket receipts happen at the south gate on 2nd Avenue.

Vogler asked Noblitt if the field could be used for soccer, to which he said that it’s not ideal because soccer balls roll faster on artificial turf fields, so teams prefer grass.

The artificial field could be used for soccer if weather is bad, however.

The board voted to allow the football booster’s club to begin fundraising for the turf field and allowing an entryway to be determine.  The vote was unanimous.

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