By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Voters in the Eatonville School District will tell the district this spring if it can have more than $19.4 million to improve its facilities for athletics and make technology upgrades. After district officials revealed last year that a possible bond measure was in the works, the School Board made it official Jan. 27 by authorizing the proposition for an election April 26. Problems with facilities that a bond planning committee studied and reported on to the board include spectator seating, safety and security, lighting, fields that are in poor condition and overbooked for team practices, and the inability to host post-season competitions. On the technology end, the district wants to improve security for school buildings and upgrade wireless, video call and intercom system, plus start a program giving students access to laptop computers. District superintendent Krestin Bahr said the bond, which would be supported by property taxes, is a major request for the benefit of students and the community. Detailed information about individual projects and their costs will be released in greater detail, district officials said. But a project that has gotten some of the most attention is the football field at the high school. Proponents of making improvements have said the turf becomes a safety hazard for players during heavy rain that can turn it into a bog, which combined with too-low seating capacity prevents Eatonvilie from hosting state playoff games. The field and the grandstand itself, a wooden structure built in 1937, would get modern replacements. School Board members considered dates in February, April, August and November for the bond before choosing April 26. A bond that voters approved in 2006 paid for remodeling of Eatonville High School and elementary schools. Athletic facilities weren't included in that measure because of public sentiment that they should be handled separately. That time has arrived because of favorable interest rates and construction costs, according to Phil Nordstrom, co-chairman of the Eatonville Facilities Improvement Committee. The committee hosted public meetings last September and August to explain reasons for the new bond.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment