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Hamilton School Board begins exploratory work on high-school athletic field house; committee to expand outreach and assess funding
Summary
Board members reviewed initial committee findings on a proposed high-school athletic field house, discussed funding constraints including PI fund balances and a 2029 levy maturity, and tasked staff to expand committee membership and begin community fundraising outreach.
Hamilton School Board members on Jan. 23 discussed early feasibility work on a proposed high-school athletic field house and agreed to expand the planning committee and test community fundraising interest before pursuing a construction plan.
Board members praised the committee’s initial memo of options but urged caution because the district lacks sufficient unrestricted capital to fully fund a multimillion-dollar facility. Jeremy Frazier, a district staff member participating in the discussion, said the district currently has about $5,500,000 of unencumbered money in the Permanent Improvement (PI) fund but that ongoing and planned PI expenditures average roughly $4,300,000 over the next three years, leaving limited flexibility for a new $8 million-plus project without outside funding.
"Right now, we have about $5,500,000 of unencumbered monies in the PI Fund," Jeremy Frazier said. "So there is a nice pot of money in there, but it's all allocated. So to your point, we don't have it. So we do need something extra, whether it's grants, business involvement, individual involvement."
Board members and staff discussed several possible funding approaches, including private fundraising, foundation or chamber involvement, targeted capital campaigns, and the option of asking taxpayers to let a millage that now funds debt service continue for a period after that debt retires in 2029. Frazier explained that the district’s current levy pulls about 6.25 mills and that one mill generates just over $1,000,000 given the city’s current valuation; that levy’s retirement in 2029 would free that tax capacity but also reduce restricted facility-maintenance funding.
Board members repeatedly stressed they would prefer to prioritize staff compensation and essential operations before committing large capital sums. Several members described the field house as a community amenity and supported continued study only if private donors and community partners could be engaged.
Board members asked the committee to expand membership to include business leaders and community foundation representatives, and several named local individuals to approach as potential donors or connectors. President Matthews said she would circulate a list of potential points of contact for committee outreach.
The board did not approve any construction or bonding action at the meeting. Instead, members directed staff to reconvene and expand the committee, begin outreach to gauge community fundraising capacity, and return with further analysis that outlines realistic funding scenarios and timing if the district chooses to proceed.
Ending: The board authorized expanded study and community outreach; no financing or construction commitments were made on Jan. 23.
