By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The USD 431 Hoisington Board of Education has some big ideas to think about. At the Aug. 1 meeting, Superintendent Patrick Crowdis threw out some figures pertaining to an overhaul of the turf and track at Hoisington High School. The decision becomes all the more difficult with the rising costs of goods across the board.
"I know there are some concerns with financing," Crowdis said. "I think two years ago, we could have done this out of savings and not depleted our savings. The cost of things has gone up so much. We would be looking at a million dollars two years to replace the turf and the track, now we're looking at double that cost."
Crowdis said there is some urgency on the matter as USD 431 could team up with USD 428 Great Bend, which will also be updating its turf field soon. Board member Dean Stoskopf questioned whether the district could handle a project of this size, especially with other projects like a daycare and possible middle school expansion in the works.
"I know the track and that are in need of repair, but I don't know how we can swing a couple million-dollar project with the way the economy's bouncing around," he said. "In another year those costs may come down 30-40 percent."
Crowdis said the district could be looking at between $1.9 million and $2.3 million for the upgrades to just the track and football field. Other projects to consider would include installing turf on the east end of the football field inside the track, and installing a track surface over the west end. Moving the concession stand and bathroom would help alleviate congestion during track meets.
"I propose all this because, if we're going to do something at our high school facility, I believe we should make it as good as we can make it," he said. "I believe there are some things we can do to make that facility better, more functional overall."
Bigger projects include the addition of a weight room in place of the metal building just north of Hoisington High School, and repairs to the football stadium and press box.
"I know that may be an issue due to the high school being on the historic registry," Crowdis said. "I would like to have an engineer come in and take a look at our stadium. If you haven't been underneath our stadium in a long time, it's a little scary underneath there. I think somebody that has a little better sense of what it might take to do repairs to the stadium needs to come in and take a look at that."
After Stoskopf expressed concern about paying for the improvements, even on a 7-year note, Crowdis explained various possibilities for payment.
"In future years," he said, "if we exceeded the revenue neutral rate to go to a full six mills or even to eight, which is the max, we would generate about $140,000 with capital outlay, which would help with the daycare, which would help with all the facilities."
The board agreed it needed more details, and no action was taken on the issue at the meeting.