Board approves Troy Rhodes professional services for athletic campus track resurfacing

The Bethany Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve professional services by Troy Rhodes and Company for Athletic Campus Phase 1, a project that will focus on resurfacing the district track and reconfiguring bleacher seating.

Board members authorized the contract after a presentation from Troy Rhodes and questions from administrators. Dr. Jasper, the district superintendent, told the board the district is targeting an overall project budget in the range of $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 and intends to use building fund cash plus anticipated redbud (marijuana tax) receipts to pay for the work.

The project scope that Troy Rhodes described centers on resurfacing the existing track and addressing severely cracked and patched areas. Rhodes said there are three levels of repair options: a thin spray maintenance coat (short-term, non‑warranty), a 2‑inch milling with new asphalt plus synthetic spray surface (the recommended option, with a typical five‑year warranty), or a full rebuild. Rhodes showed photographs of wide cracks, thick asphalt sections and a drainage culvert that has required the track surface to be built up on one end.

Rhodes and staff discussed the possibility of adding a seventh lane. Rhodes said an extra 41‑inch lane would likely have to be added outside the existing lanes and that the firm will measure next to fixed obstacles — fences, light poles and scoreboards — to determine whether a new lane is feasible without moving major equipment. Board members were told the extra lane would increase the district's flexibility to host meets but would add cost and potential site work (padding poles, adjusting fencing or moving some equipment).

The board discussed bleacher work as part of Phase 1. The plan presented calls for moving the existing home bleachers to the south side to serve visitors and installing new home-side bleachers with a press box on the north side. Rhodes and staff said lead times for bleacher kits and fabrication can be long (about nine months), so bleacher installation would likely occur in late 2025 or early 2026 even if track resurfacing happens this summer.

On funding and timing, Dr. Jasper said the district received roughly $715,000 in redbud funds last fiscal year and that the current allocation for the year is about $748,000. He said the district currently has about $918,000 cash in the building fund and expects the redbud receipts to increase that balance when received. The administration recommended using those building fund resources rather than current bond capacity; Dr. Jasper said bonding options could be revisited later if the district wants to pursue larger projects such as a STEM building.

Rhodes emphasized schedule constraints: to bid for summer resurfacing the district needs drawings and specifications finished this month so contractors can bid in March and be scheduled for summer work. The recommended 2‑inch mill-and-resurface approach would typically carry a five‑year warranty, Rhodes said, and track contractors had advised that milling plus resurfacing provides a practical mid-range solution at a lower cost than a full rebuild.

A board member moved to approve the professional services agreement; another board member seconded. The motion passed by roll call.

The board and administration said they will return with firm contract language and a finalized scope that includes alternates the board can deduct to reach lower price points if necessary. The district also plans to include sidewalk, fencing and some locker-room cosmetic repairs within the broader athletic campus work if budget allows.

What happens next: administration and Troy Rhodes' team will finalize drawings and specifications, seek bids in March, and — if prices and scheduling align — proceed with track resurfacing this summer and phased bleacher work later in the year or early 2026.