School board looks at options for upgrading athletic complex
The Greencastle-Antrim School Board got some numbers and diagrams for stadium upgrades at the Oct. 7 meeting. EI Associates presented several possibilities should the board decide to improve the athletic fields.
The cost to put in two artificial turf fields and resurface the six-lane track, as shared at a June meeting, was estimated at $1.8 million.
The latest proposal for the stadium proper was to install one turf field, expand the track to eight lanes, revise the lighting system, put in a new 2,000 seat grandstand and press box, purchase field equipment, and do other site work for $2.68 million.
Additional projects could be tacked on to the main improvement. One alternative included fixing the north practice field with artificial turf, moving the visitor bleachers and other alterations for $1.2 million. A second choice was to address the south practice field. Turf and relocating the bleachers would run $1.43 million. A third option was to upgrade the baseball and practice fields with turf for $1.53 million.
If any decision was made by the Nov. 18 meeting, the approval process would work through the local, county, and state levels, and bids could be authorized in February and contracts awarded in March. The project could be finished by September and usable for play.
The board stated it was gathering information, aware that the current fields and track were in poor condition.
Personnel
Randal Rock was hired as director of transportation, replacing Thomas Dick, at a salary of $51,000. Eleven people applied for the job. Rock, a Greencastle native, had over 10 years supervisory experience, had served on a safety committee, and possessed a CDL license. Donald Miley was promoted from supervisor to director of buildings and grounds.
Michelle Piercy was hired as primary longterm sub.
The board approved recommendations of the Student Disciplinary Committee concerning three high school male students. Principal Ed Rife said that on Sept. 13 a junior brought a small amount of marijuana on the bus, and gave it to a senior. That youth gave it to another senior at lunch. All three were expelled for the 2010-11 school year, but Rife said the penalty will be reviewed at the end of the semester. The students were placed in alternative education programs and must attend the Franklin County Drug and Alcohol Reality Tour.
In other business the bylaws of the Franklin County Area Tax Board were approved. The document included the clause that each entity subscribing to the services of the earned income tax collection agency had one vote on the board.
The first reading of a new policy identifying gifted students passed. Students would no longer be considered gifted based on an IQ of 130, but on a system to determine who could be gifted and would benefit from specially-designed instruction. The screening and evaluation would meet state requirements. The number of gifted students assigned to one teacher's caseload would drop from 75 to 65, with a maximum of 20 in a classroom at one time.
