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School board hears $1.37M athletics improvement plan, discusses $550K rubberized track at Westport
Summary
District staff presented a prioritized list of athletics upgrades estimated at $1.37 million (plus an optional $550,000 rubberized track), including storage buildings, metal bleachers with ADA access, gym scoreboards and shot clocks, and tennis/pickleball courts; the board signaled support and asked staff to pursue funding and timeline options.
District facilities staff presented a prioritized athletic‑facilities plan that would replace aging equipment and add amenities at Marion County high schools, with an estimated cost of about $1.37 million for the prioritized items and an optional $550,000 rubberized track recommended at Westport High School.
The list of immediate priorities included: metal outdoor storage buildings (24' x 40') to protect equipment, new metal bleachers with ADA access and concrete pads for baseball/softball fields, gym scoreboard and shot‑clock replacements (the FHSAA will require shot clocks for play starting in 2027), resurfacing or adding tennis/pickleball courts, plus limited electrical upgrades to support new equipment.
Mister Tucker, district facilities presenter, said the 24' x 40' metal storage buildings are roughly $20,000 each plus about $5,000 for concrete slabs and $3,500 for power/mini‑split and humidity control; new bleacher sections were quoted with concrete work and school branding credits; gym scoreboard and shot‑clock packages (eight gyms and eight shot‑clock sets) were estimated at roughly $130,000 with possible power upgrade costs; tennis/pickleball resurfacing was estimated at $40,000 per site with $100,000 to add new courts; total recommended package: approximately $1,371,000 with an optional $550,000 rubberized track at Westport which would bring the total near $1.9 million.
Board members said athletics upgrades are highly visible to students and the community, urged expediency because construction costs escalate, and asked for a predictable budget line for athletics rather than relying only on the general facilities five‑year work plan. Several members supported moving the scoreboard/shot‑clock replacements and storage/bleacher projects forward. Board members also asked facilities to explore options to ensure equitable changing spaces for female athletes (locker privacy), noting some schools still use portable buildings or vehicles for changing.
Mister Tucker recommended Westport for a first rubberized track because Westport has high track participation, better site conditions requiring less grading and drainage work than other campuses and proximity to county recreation facilities. Several board members agreed to prioritize Westport as the first track site, and the board requested a separate work session to discuss Booster Stadium and potential public‑private options.
The board discussed budget sources and timing; the district finance officer reminded members any allocation comes from the capital plan and would require tradeoffs elsewhere in the five‑year work plan. Several board members asked staff to present a budget scenario for allocating a standing athletics capital line so athletics could plan multi‑year improvements. No formal vote was taken; the board gave staff direction to develop next steps, pricing confirmations and a funding approach.
