GENTRY -- The Gentry School Board, in special session on Monday, approved spending $201,000 for improvements to the baseball and softball fields and gave the superintendent a raise for the current school year.
Since the district received three bids on its previously approved plan to renovate the dugouts and make improvements to the baseball and softball fields but all came in well over the maximum amount set by the board, Randy Barrett, district superintendent, asked the board if it wished to adjust the maximum amount and accept the low bid or reject all the bids for the project.
The board in October had authorized spending up to $122,647 for the project, with the money coming from building funds. The low bid of Diamond C came in at $201,000. Two other contractors' bids, Flintco and Baldwin & Shell, were $299,000 and $319,995, respectively. Barrett suggested that the lower bid from Diamond C may be because it is a local company and would have less expense setting up for the project.
Barrett told the board he viewed the project as maintaining the property the district had and said the project, if approved, would not take away from plans to build an intermediate school campus. He also said the cost for the project was not likely to be less in the future.
The board unanimously approved the low bid of Diamond C for the improvements. Barrett said he also planned to include in the project the purchase and installation of netting for under $10,000 to prevent spectators from being hit by fouls balls. He said he would hate to see some little child hit in the head by a stray ball, and coaches in attendance said it's already happened.
Gentry School Board, on October 19, approved a request to spend up to $122,647 to renovate and rebuild the dugouts, replace chain link fences with netting, put concrete pads from the gate entrance to and under the spectator seating area and possibly place a protective web over spectator seating areas to protect them during play.
The plan includes moving the softball dugouts further back from home plate for added safety and to make additional room for seating.
The board in October approved netting over the spectator seating area if there was enough money left over after other renovations and improvements are complete.
Reasoning for the requested improvements is for added safety for both players and spectators, as well as additional seating for spectators. Due to moisture and drainage issues, the softball field dugouts are rotting along the bottom, according to information presented to the board in October. Cement pads under the dugouts and spectator areas is expected to help resolve some of the drainage issues and also prevent fans from needing to walk through wet and often muddy gravel-covered area to access the concession stand and seating areas.
Following an executive session requested by Barrett to discuss personnel matters, the board accepted the resignations of two aides, Brandy Coker and Megan Welch, and approved paying substitute nurses at Step 0 on Classified Salary Schedule for LPNs and RNs, respectively.
Though not requested by Barrett and not on the agenda, the board also approved a $5,000 per year raise for the superintendent, retroactive to July 1, 2015 (for the current school year).
General News on 01/06/2016