Additional costs to improve NLHS and SLHS softball, baseball fields

Jan. 10—Items on Monday's agenda for the Laurel County school board meeting addressed some additional costs that architects believe will enhance the construction projects at both high school athletic fields.

Both North and South Laurel High Schools will feature artificial turf on the softball and baseball fields.

Ray Vaske, Project Manager with Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects, explained that the NLHS project showed a $42,205 cost for installation of netting and guardrail by the dugout of the softball field. A "patio" type concrete section between the softball and baseball field was also addressed, with Vaske and architect David Jackson stating that coaches had expressed concern that the two fields would "run together." The patio area would provide a separation of the two and would enhance the project. An additional $9,181 will add an extension to the outfield fence of the baseball field.

"That will comply with the specifications of KHSAA," Vaske said.

South Laurel's additional costs include a 10-foot fence on the baseball field and an 8-foot fence to the softball field for $18,421. While NLHS did not want the brick wall by their dugout, the SLHS coaches did. An additional $28,347 will install a guard rail and wall that extends to 3rd base. Vaske said that would also provide more safety to the tennis courts that adjoin the two fields.

Vaske provided photos of ongoing projects at Day Treatment and South Laurel High's media and cafeteria expansions.

A more colorful mascot design for SLHS — a four-color Cardinal head — will add to the design, at a cost of $4,000 above the original two-color design, Vaske said.

Those additions were approved unanimously by the four board members in attendance — Chair Joe Karr, Vice Chair Ed Jones, Tony Krahenbuhl and Jeff Lewis. Brice Hicks was absent for Monday's meeting.

Superintendent Denise Griebel explained a request to use Capital Funds in the amount of $305,000 for various projects in the district.

"The Capital Funds are for non-operating expenses. The maintenance building at Rough Creek needs a new roof and gutters for $50,000," she said. "We need a heater and new roof over the existing gym at Day Treatment — that's not part of the construction now — that's $165,000. The other $90,000 is for electric at the tennis courts at South Laurel. That brings it to a total of $305,000, and again, that's in the budget."

Karr brought up the discussion of pay for extracurricular pay scale. Karr said he wanted Laurel coaches to be paid comparatively to other counties.

"We have coaches who are working for pennies, counting all the time they put in," he said.

Jones said the district had typically aimed for the middle of pay scales.

"We didn't want to be at the top or the bottom so we aimed for the middle," he said.

Karr requested a comparison of pay for Laurel coaches, etc. and school administrators had compiled a partial list for Monday's meeting.

Jones added that while prior comparisons had aimed for the mid-mark, the data given to board members showed that Laurel falls into the lower pay scale areas. While coaches were listed, Karr also mentioned the bands and stipends for principals.

Griebel said the remainder of the comparisons would be presented for the next board meeting, scheduled for Monday, Jan. 22.

The Local Planning Committee was another topic Griebel explained.

"We have to have a 20-member committee and Jeff Lewis has been the board representative. We needed three business and community leaders and we'd like to put Joel Holcomb, Holly Little and Matt Kaufman on. That will complete the 20-member board," she said.

In personnel, board members approved creating two Kindergarten Assistants at Hunter Hills Elementary and re-creating a maintenance technician for the district, a Special Needs Assistant at Johnson Elementary, and a School Resource Officer for the district.

The North Laurel Middle School cheer team was also recognized although they could not attend Monday's meeting.

Griebel read the list of accomplishments of the team, who were presented with certificates of achievement earlier on Monday.

"This team is back-to-back-to-back Middle School Large Varsity Champions, so that's three championships in a row," Griebel told board members. "They are also the 2023 UCA (Universal Cheer Association) Bluegrass Regionals Large Junior High Champions and the 2023 KAPOS (Kentucky Association of Pep Organization Sponsors) 13th Region Champions, which qualifies them to compete in Nationals in Florida."