To the editor:
I find myself frustrated with the grumbling I am hearing from some folks who are concerned about spending money to begin equalizing athletic facilities between Wayland High School softball and baseball diamonds. Some apparently have expressed the feeling that such spending will result in personnel and/or program cuts elsewhere, just for renovated baseball diamond.
No one is going to lose their job and no program will be cut because the board finally decided (after four years of discussions) to renovate an unusable baseball diamond behind the middle school. The money to do this will come from the casino revenue and not from the general fund.
Here for some perspective on recent school board authorization of casino fund expenditures:
• Ipads Round ONE — $600,000 in payments spread over THREE (3) YEARS 2013-2014-2015.
• Science Wing — $291,000 PER YEAR FOR TEN (10) YEARS 2015-2024.
• Ipads Round TWO — Proposed LOAN PAYMENT of $14,000 PER MONTH FOR FOUR (4) YEARS 2016-2017-2018-2019 (not yet approved by the Board).
• JV/Frosh Baseball Field Renovations — $282,000 ONE-TIME-EXPENSE
Note:
There is only one usable baseball field on the HS/MS campus and four usable softball diamonds, including one varsity, one JV/Frosh and two for 7th, 8th and summer youth programs. The Administration and Board could have completed renovations in phases over multiple years as the project unfolded, though the board chose to do otherwise. Some will recall that the access road was constructed two summer ago and more could have been done. For example, the irrigation well and piping could have been completed the following summer.
If you’re someone who feels the casino money or general fund dollars are being used improperly, by all means, attend a school board meeting!
• May 28, 5:30 p.m. Finance Committee @ Administration Office .
• June 8, 6:00 p.m. Athletic Committee @ Middle School.
• June 8, 7 pm – Wayland Union Middle School, 701 Wildcat Drive
SPECIAL MEETINGS:
• Annual Budget Hearing, 6:45 p.m. Administration Building, 850 E. Superior,
June 22, 7:00 p.m. Administration Building, 850 E. Superior.
• July 13, 2015 7 pm – Administration Building, 850 E. Superior.
Jeff Salisbury
Wayland Union Schools employee 1985-2009
Wayland Union Schools Board of Trustees 2010-2014
