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Board hears timeline and funding for scoreboard, turf, track and auditorium work; superintendent recommends paying scoreboard from SPLOST
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Finney recommended paying outright for a new scoreboard rather than financing it, citing savings and SPLOST capacity. Board received construction updates on turf, track, auditorium seating and training for scoreboard operation.
The Harris County Board of Education received construction and capital‑project updates on June 12 and heard the superintendent recommend using SPLOST funds to pay for a new stadium scoreboard.
Superintendent Dr. Finney told the board auditors recommended purchasing the scoreboard outright rather than financing it because it would save interest and not appear as a liability on the district’s debt schedule. He said district SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds already include the scoreboard cost within this year’s summer projects and that, after accounting for energy lease and bond payments, the SPLOST account would still have remaining funds.
"If you'll flip to the last page…that leaves a remaining, $992,000 in the SPLOST account after everything is finished," Dr. Finney told the board, adding that a contingency reserve of $1,000,000 is held and that projected SPLOST revenue could add about $4,000,000 before next summer. Several board members supported paying cash to save in the long run.
Facilities manager Mister Fisher updated the board on turf and track work and the auditorium renovation. He reported new field turf installation is near completion, with the center logo set and filler work remaining, and estimated turf work finishing in about one to one‑and‑a‑half weeks followed by overlap with track resurfacing. On the track he said contractors will remove existing surface and install a 4‑millimeter replacement with refreshed lane markings.
Fisher said auditorium chairs are scheduled for installation beginning June 23 and noted an unplanned decision to replace wall carpet where steam cleaning caused it to delaminate, extending that portion of the renovation. He also said Bass Electric will do prework ahead of the scoreboard installation, which is planned to begin July 7 with about a week to make the new scoreboard functional.
The board discussed training and curricular ties: the district plans trainings starting July 2 for staff on scoreboard operation and to fold scoreboard-related sports marketing activities into an existing hospitality and sports‑marketing pathway so students can gain hands‑on experience.
No formal vote was required on these updates; the board approved capital purchases in the consent agenda later in the meeting.
