Ledyard OKs extra $616K for track, football project

Ledyard — Residents at a town meeting Monday voted 136-15 to approve an additional $616,163 to rebuild the outdoor track and football field complex at the high school.

The new facility is expected to be ready for the 2020-21 school year, according to Superintendent Jay Hartling, and the field would also be available for graduation in June.

The $2.53 million project would replace the track and the football field, installing an artificial turf multipurpose field that can also be used by soccer and lacrosse teams.

The original $1.92 million for the project was already budgeted for, coming from Education Cost Sharing and Federal Impact Aid Grant revenue set aside in the town’s undesignated fund. The $661,163 overage would come from the town’s mill rate stabilization fund.

Construction for the track and field had been set to begin last October, but it was discovered last fall that the project would need a lot more earthwork than was budgeted to fix grading and drainage problems.

Jim Buonocore, athletic director and assistant principal at the high school, said the facility has been closed since then because the track fails to meet minimum safety requirements.

Since the administration had anticipated the facility being under construction, the fall sports season

wasn’t impacted much because late-season games had already been scheduled at other schools, he said.

After presentations Monday by finance committee Chairman Bill Saums and Board of Education finance committee Chairman Mike Brawner, residents and taxpayers spoke for about an hour. Some of the questions focused on maintenance and costs of the artificial turf as opposed to natural grass.

While the turf field costs slightly more over its coservatively estimated 12- to 15-year lifespan, the Board of Education calculated the turf field can be used three or four times more than grass for a lower cost per event.

Several residents spoke in favor of the project, citing their children’s experience in the sports that would be able to play on the new field. Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Nate Woody said the commission had been looking for a solution for the facility for years, and as a runner himself, he has had to use the Fitch track rather than using the Ledyard track. He said he hopes his daughter can participate in track and field on the new complex.

Board of Education member Steve Munger said he came to Ledyard because of his military service, and he chose to stay because he’s proud of the town. The track and field in their current state aren’t something he’s proud of, and he joined the school board to make an impact on the town through projects like this.

“It’s all about the kids, so let’s give them the best we can,” he said.