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School board approves athletic facilities transfers; backboards and middle-school scoreboards to be replaced
Summary
The New Kent County School Board unanimously approved transfers to replace six wooden basketball backboards and two middle-school scoreboards, and received an update that the turf field is complete and the running track is near completion.
The New Kent County School Board on Sept. 9 approved a transfer from the division’s capital-improvement fund to replace aging athletic equipment and address stadium improvements.
Facilities director Matt Hockman told the board the front gym at New Kent High School has four wooden backboards and the auxiliary gym has two more; coaches avoid those boards because they do not replicate game conditions. Replacing the six backboards was estimated at $10,001.69, Hockman said. The board also heard the middle-school scoreboards, installed in 1988, are failing and difficult to read; replacement with installed LED scoreboards was estimated at $29,006.81.
“Most of those scoreboards are recommended to last about 20 years. We got our money's worth on that one,” Hockman said, describing intermittent bulb failures and readability problems for fans and officials.
The board motion to approve the athletic facilities transfer was moved by Mister Reimer and seconded by Miss Cunha; the board voted unanimously to approve the request.
Turf and track update: Hockman told the board the turf field is complete and the two-part project’s track surfacing is expected to finish within roughly a week and a half, weather permitting. Because final track surfacing cannot be sprayed during precipitation or high wind, a recent weather event delayed completion and required moving the upcoming home football game. Hockman said the district expects to host subsequent home games on the new surface and will announce opening-ceremony details when the project is complete.
Funding and schedule: Hockman said the transfer would be funded from the district’s CIP account set aside for year-end transfers and that the work should be complete before basketball season. Board members asked whether vendors had been solicited and were told the district used cooperative purchasing and competitive co-op pricing for the scoreboard contract.
