by Jaye Sudar
WALSENBURG- Diego Bobian, presiding at the meeting while Erin Jerant was absent, accepted two grants totaling $110,000 for the Sports Complex. A $10,000 grant from the Huerfano Park & Recreation District was given for concrete work. A Gates Foundation Grant for $100,000 was also received for the sports complex, which was part of a matching grant. Gaye Davis reported that the complex is progressing. The track surface is being painted and the football team will be able to practice on it by August 1. Bleachers will be installed soon, giving the the complex seating for 1,374 people and 14 ADA compliant seating areas. A grant for $94,000 is still pending for stadium lights.
A complaint about the state of the practice field was made by the coaching staff. The sprinkler system is still having issues and needs repairs in order to water the field properly. Davis and Coach Berger stated that they would try and resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Principal reports were scarce as Bennet and Purnell were at a conference, and Doc Siders was home recovering from a horse riding accident. Principal McDonald said that Peakview was working on their handbook and getting the school ready for the year. Deb Nott, of the O & E school presented Phillip Marshall with his diploma at the meeting.
In other business, the board awarded a contract for bleachers to CBS Constructors, scheduled a regular board meeting for August 10 and approved Dawn Olson, the new superintendent as the authorized representative for the district. The board was involved in an executive session for over an hour and no decisions were made when they came out of executive session.
