Since the initial approval by the North East School Board in April of last year, the cost of the plastic grass and track project has continued to grow. The initial sum was $3,581,560.08. Numerous change orders for more work have been approved by the board since then and the cost of the project keeps rising with a new total of $3,944,880.34, almost $4 million! Cost overruns total $363,320.08. And let’s not forget, the project was not done on time.
Where did the school board find an extra $363,000 dollars? That’s just for work not budgeted for, just extra costs, not a new project, not school repairs or maintenance or salaries or anything else, just extra costs. It makes the discussions that sometimes take place in board meetings about spending a few thousand dollars for some unexpected repair or even something like a school trip or salary for a temporary employee sound silly. The district has hundreds of thousands of dollars to burn. After all, they must. There were no cuts to the budget anywhere else, no programs cancelled, just money out of thin air, … or taxpayers pockets.
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Brian Sherman says
I recognize it’s a thankless job, but the priorities of the current school board are very concerning, especially considering the recent academic and personnel challenges. With professional and college sports moving to natural grass, this project makes absolutely no sense and will likely result in more student injuries and bigger expenses down the road.
America First says
Has anyone else noticed the lack of support? A recent FB post showing an almost completed field. Most of the comments were , what a waste of taxpayer dollars. When is HS getting AC. I don’t think they really had community support
Frustrated says
If drainage and a drier field was the main reason for this project there were other solutions (much cheaper, safer and aesthetic) than a toxic and completely artificial field as a remedy. There is nothing more beautiful than a manicured natural grass field. I find this new field to look like a cheap bouquet of fake flowers where you’d expect something authentic, not to mention the negative health side effects. It’s been eye opening to see the sheer amount of chemicals put down on that site from gallons and gallons of glues to TONS of micro plastics. The amount of tamping that had to take place just proves why injuries can be so much worse! And still we wait, pay more and more in change orders, never hearing the real reason why things were missed or overlooked. We can pinch the pay of our most important asset, teachers and staff, force cuts to academics, but come up with hundreds of thousands for “change orders”, like it’s no big deal. Community members need to pay attention in what’s happening in the district. Show up to mtgs. Get involved BEFORE projects get a green light.
Steve says
Not saying that it wasn’t needed, I have no idea really, I know there was a fund, but it is all taxpayer monies at the bottom line. I know homeowners will wait till the economic outlook for their household is stable and the project is affordable, with monies slated for cost overruns, everyone knows there is always overruns, lol. Spending this much money on a public project with inflation and the economy not so great for some people who reside in our community the optics of spending now $4,000,000 because of cost overruns will not sit well. This project would probably be celebrated if they waited a bit for an economic upturn and haven’t raised taxes continuously over the last few years. Reading the room before spending money on public capital projects would do wonders for community relations, having to come back for more money because they didn’t have enough for overruns does not sit well for any project, .