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| Legion left in the dark on school funding request |
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| Education - School Board | |||
| Written by Brian McCauley | |||
| Wednesday, 14 January 2009 08:00 | |||
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Paola American Legion representatives pleaded Monday with USD 368 Board of Education members to help finance new lights at Russell Field as well as increase funds for maintenance of the baseball field, but board members said they’re facing a financial dilemma of their own. Legion baseball chairman Jeff Johnson and fellow Legion representative Pete Bell, who also is a Paola City Councilman, addressed the board Monday, stating that the school district has an obligation to provide more funding for the field because it is used by the Paola High School baseball team. Bell said the school district currently provides $2,500 each year for maintenance of the field, but the annual cost of maintenance is about $30,000. Johnson also said the Legion needs about $40,000 to continue a project it has started to replace the deteriorating lights at Russell Field. “The infield had more burnt out bulbs than working,” Johnson said. Legion officials originally thought the problem could be fixed by simply replacing some bulbs, but further inspection in fall 2008 brought safety problems to the surface, such as rotting wood at the tops of the poles and the cross supports. Kansas City Power & Light has provided four new 90-foot wooden poles and two transformers, plus the labor to install them. Johnson estimated the value of the donations at more than $30,000. But infrastructure upgrades and a new lighting system still leave about $40,000 needed to complete the lighting project. KCP&L has already removed the old lights, and Bell and Johnson said the lighting project would have to get underway by the end of the month to have the field ready in time for the start of the Paola baseball season in April. Board members sympathized with the issue, but said they’re in the process of preparing to make budget cuts as a result of the dismal economy and potential cuts in state funding. “Things are looking very serious for next year,” said superintendent Rod Allen. The board members agreed, stating that Legion lights likely won’t be the top priority when looking at a budget that is 85 percent staff. Paola High School Athletic Director Mark Lentz said the school does have alternatives without lights, such as playing all games in the day or playing all games on the road. No official decision was made at the meeting, but Johnson said the Legion plans to borrow the $40,000 and turn to the other entities that use the field to help pay it off. Allen said that a board work session is scheduled for Jan. 26 to discuss what may need to be cut out of the school district’s budget.
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