Board reviews middle‑school track and field options, cost estimates up to about $2.7M

The Spearfish School District board reviewed options and updated cost estimates for the Creekside middle‑school track and field project.

Superintendent (Speaker 8) said contractor Mammoth proposed scope adjustments — notably using artificial turf in the D‑zones at the ends of the football field instead of full track surfacing — that reduce excavation and cost. He presented a range of choices: a simple 2‑inch overlay with engineering (previous estimate updated) roughly $404,150 including about $50,000 in engineering costs; an overlay plus a rubberized coating and striping adding roughly $260,000 (bringing a subtotal toward $660,000); a more complete rebuild including long jump pits, bleacher pad and perimeter work estimated about $1,000,528 (down from a prior $1.85M estimate); and a full track plus new artificial turf option estimated about $2.742M (previously nearly $3.1M).

The superintendent noted additional lifetime and maintenance considerations for turf and track: turf replacement currently estimated (in the presentation) at about $500,000 with escalation, periodic resurfacing costs in the tens or hundreds of thousands, and roughly 2.5% annual cost escalation for planning assumptions. He also described a potential fundraising model that could include selling field advertising panels and in‑kind savings if the city accepts excavated soils (the presenter said that hauling soils could reduce costs by about $78,000 and that turf supply timing and price escalation argue for earlier decisions).

Board members discussed sponsorship and fundraising possibilities and asked for an interactive spreadsheet with detailed line items; the superintendent said that will be provided and recommended placing the item on the January agenda for a possible decision.

No binding contract or appropriation was approved at the meeting; the discussion was informational and preparatory for future board action.