Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Partnerships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Leadership Tuscaloosa class, New Heights Foundation to fund pavilion and court at New Heights Community Center
Summary
Board approved a Ward Scott Morris architectural agreement and facility change to add a basketball court and open-air pavilion at New Heights Community Center; the New Heights Foundation will fund the project and has raised early donations.
The board approved a facility change and architect agreement with Ward Scott Morris for a New Heights Community Center project funded and led by the nonprofit New Heights Foundation.
Karen Berkley, a member of the 2024–25 Leadership Tuscaloosa class and a representative of the New Heights Foundation, asked the board to approve adding a roughly 55-by-100-foot outdoor basketball court and a 20-by-30-foot open-air wood-frame pavilion adjacent to existing parking. Mark Simpson of Scholl Engineering described the site as largely flat and accessible from the parking lot, and Nathan (last name not specified) said the project would include light site work and a concrete court pad.
Berkley said the project cost estimate ranges between $50,000 and $77,000 and that fundraising was already underway. "We have raised $13,000 plus Tony's company is gonna donate all of the lumber," she said. Berkley said the New Heights Foundation is a 501(c)(3) and will run the donations and construction fundraising.
Doctor Daria (transcript reference) and other board members praised the Leadership Tuscaloosa class for the community project and approved the architect agreement and facility change by voice vote. Board members asked staff to explain the New Heights Foundation's role for public viewers; a district representative described the project as community-funded and not using Tuscaloosa City Schools dollars.
The architect contract and facility change were approved by the board; the transcript records a voice vote with no roll-call tally in the public portion of the record.
