Trustees weigh turf-field replacement costs and a tiered fee schedule to protect investments

The committee spent significant time discussing synthetic turf fields, maintenance costs and possible fee structures after a report from the director of buildings and grounds.

Ryan Umanski (self-identified) told the committee he could not find an existing turf fee schedule in district policy and presented replacement and maintenance figures. He said some replacement figures are large: "The multipurpose at East, because it's larger, is 722,000," and he added that grooming and infill maintenance can cost around $16,000 per service visit.

Umanski listed causes of premature wear including overuse, improper footwear, tents, bikes and vandalism. He suggested options to reduce damage, such as installing a 6- to 8-foot fence around multipurpose fields, noting similar measures in neighboring districts. "If you have a school facility that doesn't have a fence around it, the implication is anybody can just walk on it and use it," a trustee said during the discussion.

Staff presented an example tiered fee schedule framework: Tier 1 for district-sanctioned school activities (no fee), Tier 2 for groups with some district connection (reduced fee) and Tier 3 for outside or for-profit groups (higher fee). Trustees debated the balance between community access and protecting capital investments, noting small fundraisers can be economically strained if custodial and staffing costs are charged in full.

Trustees directed staff to convene athletic directors, coaches and representative user groups to draft a fee policy and clearer tier definitions and to return with cost implications and enforcement options, including fencing and priority scheduling. The board indicated other districts use similar tier approaches and urged staff to present a practical proposal rather than an overly complex process.