Scott County board approves $179,750 scoreboard for Scott High after debate over reserves and priorities

The Scott County Board of Education voted to approve a $179,750 contract with Digital Scoreboards LLC to install a digital scoreboard at Scott High School, with funding coming from the school system’s reserves.

Board members discussed the project at length before the vote, raising concerns about other district needs that board members said remain unmet. Board members identified unfilled teacher positions, maintenance budget overruns, uncertainty about ESSER (federal pandemic) funds, a needed chiller replacement, and the potential impact on reserve levels as central considerations in the debate.

Board members also said the scoreboard is intended to help generate sponsorship and recurring revenue for athletics so that teams and related activities require less direct budget support. The board heard that at least one local business had expressed interest in supporting the project and that school leaders expect to pursue corporate and business sponsorships to offset costs.

Several board members framed the discussion as a question of timing and priorities. Some members said the scoreboard could create fundraising opportunities and enhance graduation and athletic events; others said the district should prioritize filling teacher vacancies and addressing maintenance shortfalls before committing large reserve expenditures. Board financial comments referenced a reserve level of about 4.52% at the time of the meeting and a legal minimum reserve requirement cited as roughly 3.5%.

The motion to approve the contract carried in a roll-call vote with the following responses recorded: Mister Silcox — aye; Miss Smith — aye; Mister Shelton — aye; Miss Kidd — aye; Miss King — no; Mister Stanley — aye; Doctor Murphy — no. The contract was described in the agenda as an interlocal-eligible purchase; the board was told the procurement classification meant the purchase did not require a formal competitive bid.

Board members said the project would be paid from the system’s reserves and that the district would seek sponsorships to mitigate cost. Several board members asked staff to confirm how the reserves would be affected and whether future budget amendments or reimbursements (for example, from other funding sources) might allow the district to restore reserves over time.

The board’s discussion also referenced related community uses: athletic events, graduation ceremonies and potential partnerships with Career and Technical Education classes. The board did not adopt any new policy or change spending authorizations beyond approving the presented contract and authorizing use of reserves for the purchase.

The contract approval completes the district action needed to award the work to Digital Scoreboards LLC; the district indicated it would pursue sponsorships and other revenue to support ongoing costs and to direct any generated income toward the high school’s athletic program.