Capital Project Q&A

Q - Capital Bond Proposition #2, Artificial Turf Fields - Has there been any discussion among the community at BOE meetings concerning the change to turf fields?

A – The Capital Scope of work was presented to the Board of Education on March 14th and then updated on March 21st with opportunities for discussion. A summary of the project was also presented during the Budget Presentation on April 11th and April 18th.

Q - Has improving the drainage on the fields and the existing turf been considered. There are so many studies that show a much greater number of leg and ankle injuries on artificial turf as compared to grass. There are so many questions concerning artificial turf.

A - The district with input from the professional architect (CSArch) and engineering firm (Passero Associates) and additional stakeholders has opted to propose a multi-use field to address recurring impacts due to significant weather events, challenging maintenance which affects field use by athletic teams, and the need for increased and continuous use by the many athletic teams scheduled on our fields.

SYNTHETIC TURF HIGHLIGHTED BENEFITS

• Synthetic turf allows use at all times, even in inclement weather conditions, or immediately after rainfall. Turf fields can even be used in freezing conditions.
• Synthetic turf fields are often designed for multi-use. Multiple sports fields of play lines and field slopes are constructed into the turf, allowing multi-events on a single field.
  • No down time for maintenance or re-growth periods. No need for a practice field and a game field and worry about excessive wear and tear.
  • No fertilizing or irrigation needed. This eliminates chemicals and saves water.
• Durability leads to a reduction in risk of injuries. Some sports cause mud/dirt areas to develop because of heavy use. Think of a football field 35-yard to 35-yard lines, or the net area for LAX, or the PK line for soccer. By the end of a season with a grass field, conditions can become unsafe with mud and small divots, causing ankle injuries and slipping from poor foot grip.

See studies performed by Professor Michael Meyers at Idaho State University, link is here: https://www.idahopress.com/meridian-kuna/idaho-professors-research-shows-turf-is-better-than-grass-for-athletes/article_b089d941-e852-5747-ac2c-b77942684811.html

• Properly maintained synthetic turf fields maintain a consistent hardness, allowing for the surface to absorb impacts. Grass fields can often become extremely compacted and become hard as pavement. Hard surfaces typically lead to higher levels of serious head injury.

Q - We should have a community discussion.

A – There will be a Capital Project presentation with a period of time reserved for questions and answers on May 9th @ 7:00 pm during the Board of Education Work session.

Q - When was the last time that we replaced the track? What is the current condition?

A - The current track was included in the 2015 proposition. The current track replacement is due to the creation of the multipurpose field and improvements in the stadium. A multipurpose field is wider than the current field, therefore the track needs to be reconfigured to allow for a wider infield. It is likely that the new track will not be available for use until 2027 thus the useful life of the current track will have less than 25% remaining.

Q - In the 23/24 budget, we had a $1M transfer of Capital funds for the high school pool additions/alterations. In the Propositions for the current proposed budget, we again mention upgrades to the high school pool in the $39+M Proposition. How much money are we going to put in the pool? Was anything done with the funds in the last budget?

A - Please note that the pool improvements are included in Bond Proposition 3 which totals $4,001,015 and Bond Proposition 3 is contingent on the passing of Bond Proposition 2. That is, if Bond Proposition 3 passes, it can only move forward if Bond Proposition 2 is also approved.

Bond Proposition 3 includes additional Pool improvements which include renovations to the locker rooms, mechanical (ventilation) improvements, upgrades of finishes for improved maintenance, and minor layout changes for better space use to serve the student athletes.

The Interfund Transfer to Capital for the high school pool is in the amount of $900,000. This is for the piping under the slab between the filter room and pool to be replaced along with the floor tile. In addition, replacement of doors, frames and hardware in the pool area and replacement of the natatorium ceiling. This project is currently with the State Education Department for review and approval.

Q - I understand that you say the district is 2-3 cycles behind in capital improvements but do you really think that the present time is the most appropriate time to play catch up?

A - Continuing to defer capital needs can have several impacts longer term. As costs continue to increase, delaying capital needs will actually create a larger cost impact to the community in future years. The district has planned well to utilize capital reserves to defray the impact to the community. In addition, many of the capital needs if delayed can result in impacts to their use (such as with the poor field conditions) by students as part of their academic experience. Deferred capital needs can also present potential for emergencies, when systems near or at the end of their service life fail and result in an unplanned expense to the district. Finally, deferred capital needs can also result in additional deterioration (such as with a roof) to other building systems or components which increase the costs of these improvements over time.