District may limit use of sports fields

GENTRY — The School District is considering limiting or outright banning public use of school sports fields in an attempt to avoid damage to them.

The district is having turf installed at the football stadium and baseball/softball complex. The turf has an estimated life span of eight to 10 years.

School Board member Melissa Holland raised the question during the board’s March 11 meeting of whether public use of the fields should be allowed since additional use could shorten the life span of the turf.

Superintendent Terrie DePaola said closing the fields for outside use would likely result in a public outcry.

Holland said she didn’t want to see the turf have a shortened use for student-athletes since the money invested in the project is for students, and the city has its own sports complex.

The question will be brought back at the next regular board meeting April 29 in the form of possible policy changes regarding the use of school facilities.

The board also reviewed color schemes for the turf project at the baseball and softball fields so the turf can be ordered and manufactured for installation.

The board approved donating the current football goalposts to another school if asked.

In other business, the board placed on its first reading a new salary schedule for certified employees, increasing each employee’s salary by $500 in the upcoming school year. DePaola said this was essentially the normal step increase. She said it now goes to the district’s personnel policy committee for review.