By Chris Post / Editor-In-Chief

Marshall Public Schools could spend more than $2 million to replace the grass football and soccer fields at Marshall High School with artificial turf, but one school board member is questioning whether the money would be better spent addressing problems elsewhere in the district.

Deputy Superintendent David Reinke presented the proposal to the Marshall Board of Education during its September meeting, telling members the district received three bids for replacing both playing surfaces. Mid-America Sports Construction submitted the lowest apparent bid at approximately $2.1 million, followed by Mammoth Sports Construction at $2.3 million and ATG-RAM Industries at $2.4 million.

No action was taken on the proposal. Reinke said he plans to spend the next month reviewing the bids, warranties and differences between the proposed turf systems before returning to the board in October.

“I just want to make sure we’re bidding apples to apples,” Reinke said. “I want to make sure we do what’s right for the district.”

Reinke said the district began considering artificial turf in part because the existing grass fields will require significant investment even if the turf proposal is rejected.

The football field has a major irrigation problem near the 50-yard line that is creating standing water, Reinke said. The irrigation system at the soccer field has also reached the point where district employees are piecing it together to keep the field maintained. Fixing either system would likely require digging through the existing playing surface.

Reinke also pointed to player safety as one advantage of turf. Synthetic fields can be tested using a GMAX rating, which measures shock absorption of the playing surface. He said maintaining safe natural grass has become increasingly difficult because the district does not have adequate irrigation to keep the fields healthy during dry weather.

Turf could also allow more groups to use the fields without damaging the playing surface.

Reinke said football and marching bands currently compete for access to the football field. A turf surface could accommodate more practices, youth sports, additional games and community events.

“I think in the long run, it is a very good decision,” Reinke said.

If the board approves a bid in October, construction could begin after the fall sports season. Reinke said all three companies indicated they would plan to have both fields finished by March 1, ahead of the spring sports season, although winter weather could affect that schedule.

The new surfaces would not last indefinitely. Reinke estimated a turf field could last 10 to 15 years and said the materials proposed by the companies generally carry eight-year warranties. He pointed to the district’s existing baseball turf, which lasted about 14 years despite heavy use, as an example.

The size of the investment, however, prompted questions about the district’s priorities.

Board Treasurer Jack Lenz questioned whether spending more than $2 million on fields used primarily by approximately 150 athletes and the marching band represented the best use of district money while Bueker Middle School continues to face significant building problems.

“What about the 541 students in Bueker?” Lenz asked, pointing to problems including ventilation, heating and cooling and a lack of fire suppression in the kitchen.

Reinke acknowledged the concern but argued the scale of Bueker’s problems makes the two projects difficult to compare.

He said the district has already spent approximately $800,000 on a chiller system at Bueker and estimated replacing the roof could cost around $2 million. Preliminary estimates discussed later in the meeting placed a comprehensive renovation of the more than 100-year-old building at between $24 million and $32 million.
Superintendent Caleb Pettit said the district needs to make a larger decision about Bueker, including whether the community wants to renovate the existing building or eventually replace it.

“I don’t know that it’s one or the other,” Pettit said of Bueker and the turf proposal. “I think the turf is another issue at another location.”

Pettit later addressed how the district could pay for the athletic project.

T-Mobile has committed $600,000 to Marshall Public Schools in exchange for access to wireless spectrum rights the district is not using. Pettit said the one-time payment could potentially be applied toward turf. The district also finished the previous fiscal year better than budgeted, providing additional flexibility.

The district also has $3 million invested in certificates of deposit that mature in October. Pettit said money that would otherwise be needed to repair irrigation systems and address problems with a practice field could also potentially be redirected toward the turf project.

Pettit said administrators are not presenting artificial turf as a way to save the district money. Instead, he characterized the long-term cost of grass and turf as roughly comparable when maintenance, paint, irrigation and eventual turf replacement are considered.

“We’re not trying to say turf will save money compared to grass,” Pettit said. “We’re saying it won’t cost any more.”

Pettit also said he believes paying for the fields from existing district resources rather than asking taxpayers for additional money is the more responsible approach.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a taxpayer that says, ‘Let’s talk about raising my taxes to pay for your football fields,’” Pettit said. “I think it’s a responsible thing that we do it in our own funding.”

Before the board can make that decision, Reinke said he wants to confirm exactly what each bidder is providing. Differences in turf quality, warranties, soil stabilization and other options could explain some of the nearly $300,000 difference between the highest and lowest proposals.

The issue is expected to return to the board in October, when members could be asked to decide whether artificial turf is the next investment Marshall Public Schools should make.