Board approves employee bonuses, CTE plan, policy DLL and okays Hunaker turf replacement after debate
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Summary
The school board approved a second reading of policy DLL, the 2026–27 Perkins CTE plan and one‑time employee bonuses, and voted to replace Hunaker High School’s turf after a discussion about cost, funding and injury risks; the turf replacement was presented as necessary after a safety test failure.
The Russell County School Board approved four action items during its meeting: a second reading of policy DLL (special pay), the 2026–27 Career and Technical Education Perkins plan, one‑time employee bonuses for FY26, and a replacement of Hunaker High School’s turf field after a safety test failure closed the field.
On policy DLL, the board advanced the second reading and approved the special‑pay policy that had been introduced at a prior meeting. The board also voted to adopt the CTE Perkins plan for 2026–27, which the superintendent presented as routine program approval.
Staff recommended a one‑time bonus of $1,500 for full‑time employees and $500 for eligible part‑time staff for fiscal year 2026, to be paid in June; the board approved the recommendation by voice vote.
The most contested item was the recommendation to replace Hunaker High School’s turf field after the field failed a safety test and the governing interscholastic association shut it down for safety reasons. Staff estimated replacement at about $416,000 and said the funds would come from reallocated capital improvements, including postponed roofing projects. Supporters said the field had reached the end of its service life — the field was donated 18 years ago and staff said turf typically lasts about 10 years — and the vendor warranty would cover the new field for a decade.
Board members raised concerns about cost and long‑term lifecycle tradeoffs. One member cited studies raising higher rates of some lower‑extremity injuries on synthetic turf versus natural grass and argued for considering natural grass; others said converting to grass would require replacement of drainage and subsurface systems and would not be materially cheaper. The board discussed warranty length, maintenance burdens and the fact that the current turf was donated.
After discussion, the board approved the turf replacement in a roll‑call vote; the transcript records a roll call with multiple members voting in favor and some dissenting votes. Staff said the district will proceed with procurement and the project is expected to be scheduled and covered from the described capital reallocation.
The board also reviewed information items and the district calendar; no additional formal actions were taken on personnel at the meeting.
