And the winner is ...

May 13, 2008 05:04 pm

— By Philip Navarrette
reporter@trcle.com

After months of discussions and deliberation, the Cleburne ISD school board voted 6-1 Monday in favor of a permanent metal indoor practice facility at Cleburne High School.
The facility will be built at the site of the school’s old tennis courts, at a cost of $1.817 million, plus an additional $175,000 for a restroom and concession building.
Bids on the type of turf inside the facility will come later, the board decided.
Athletic Director and head football coach Phil Young applauded the board for its decision.
“For the use, it’s a great value, it really is,” Young said. “It’s a lot of money, there’s no doubt about it. But there’s a tremendous value and it will be used for decades and decades to come. I’ll be in the grave and it will still be used.”
The facility will be used by several school entities, from football and athletics to cheerleading and band, Young said.
“You’re looking at about 700 or 800 kids, which is roughly half the population of the high school,” Young said. “That’s not counting the P.E. classes that could also be in there.”
Assistant Superintendent Mike Bailey said the district advertised for bids on a structure, but response was lacking.
“The district received one bid as general contractor from SCM Construction Inc.,” Bailey said in a memo to the board. “Additionally, the district received for an inflated dome. ... Only one bidder provided a bid with installation — Yeadon Fabric Domes in the amount of $1,165,853. Additionally, the estimated annual cost of operation is $40,000 for inflation and air conditioning of this space.”
Looking at the costs of upkeep, the board agreed the metal structure is the best option.
Board Secretary Jennifer Dugger voted against the construction of the building. Dugger said she’s not against the facility, but the district may be making a decision on something when attention should be in other areas.
“I just think the timing is all wrong,” she said. “Maybe this is what we want to do, but right now may not be the best time for this final decision.”
Board member Donna Boles asked Bailey how waiting would affect the situation, and he said the district would have to pay more because of the constantly rising price of steel.
Dugger also said she was cautious about the facility after the board viewed possible future expansion options for the high school during a meeting last year.
“I just feel like maybe we haven’t thought through all the steps,” Dugger said.
Other board members said it was their understanding that the facility would go on the school’s old tennis courts, which Bailey confirmed as the planned site.
Board President Stu Madison also decided to bring the expansion options back to the board in June to talk about them further to avoid any other problems.
The board also heard a brief report on the district’s response to a Texas Education Agency report on the spending of federal funds.
Interim Superintendent Dr. James Warlick said he has been working with Bailey and Bobby Padgett of Henslee Schwartz, LLP, on the district’s response, which will be presented to the agency on Wednesday.
The district will also present the response publicly at the board’s May 20 meeting, and it will be available online immediately following the meeting.
“There was no fraud or anything of that sort found by the TEA,” Padgett said to the board.
The board also:
zx Approved the hiring of 17 teachers and coaches.
zx Approved a District Awards for Teacher Excellence grant for Santa Fe Elementary.
zx Approved a bid for new carpeting at the CHS counseling center for $8,250.
zx Tabled a bid for repairing tile floors at Gerard Elementary School.
zx Approved purchasing a Ford Expedition for $31,500 to replace a 15-passenger van that districts can no longer use by law.
zx Approved a $382,400 bid to expand Smith Middle School’s cafeteria.
zx Viewed a presentation on the district’s improvement plan for the 2008-09 school year.
zx Tabled adopting a new teacher salary scale.
zx Viewed a presentation from Wheat Middle School students on their recent trip to NASA.
zx Approved a Florida volleyball tournament for the Lady Jacket volleyball team.
zx Recognized six CHS organizations and individuals.