KATY ISD field turfing "auxillary fields"

[PURPLE 4EVER]

Nederland ISD is up in air over how money in a bond issue will be spent especially over the stadium renovation.

Chew on this....

Saw this report this morning on ABC 13 from Houston about Katy's plans to turf auxillary fields at all 6 HIGH SCHOOLS FOR AROUND $5,000,000!

$5,000,000 sure is a lot of money, especially for auxillary fields, my sister's kids go to Katy ISD and these fields are used a lot, for JV and Fresh fb games, soccer games, and lacrosse, not to mention the practices.  Still, $5,000,000 on plastic grass???  Read below and reply back on whether or not you would vote for this if you were a school board member.

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By Kevin QuinnKATY, TX (KTRK) --

    It takes some serious green to change out green turf. Katy ISD is set to spend millions of dollars in football field upgrades, but some question why the money isn't being spent elsewhere.

The school district is making the change from grass to artificial turf at six of its high schools. Katy ISD officials say they've specifically earmarked the money. The KISD school board voted unanimously last week to authorize spending up to $5.2 million on artificial turf for competition fields at its six high schools. With the economy what it is, some are questioning that spending.

At Katy ISD's six high school campuses, the natural grass competition football fields are used extensively by students, not just for football, but also for soccer, track and field, pep rallies and community events. The fields are used so frequently that district staffers have said the playing surface can't be maintained as effective or even safe. Its replacement with turf is something some student athletes support.

"It's a heck of a lot better than grass," said student Trevor Welsch.

The vote to replace the grass with synthetic comes a year after Katy ISD forced a ten percent budget reduction for central office functions. Other districts also have been cutting back. Galveston ISD cut jobs and consolidated four schools. HISD let nearly two dozen teachers go and cut back on bus routes to save money.

Katy ISD has refused to comment on the expenditure on camera and no school board members returned repeated calls for comment on the vote.

The district says four of the five million dollars will come from project savings elsewhere. It's money, they say, that can only be used on capital improvements, not teachers and not operating expenses. Additionally, the district says it will save $900,000 over the 10 year projected lifespan of the turf -- money it otherwise would have spent on upkeep of grass.

Katy ISD spokesperson Steve Stanford did issue a statement which reads in part, "Because of the extensive use of the competition fields and the difficulty of keeping them well maintained, the high school athletic coordinators believe the current fields are putting students at greater risk for injury. A more sustainable surface will greatly reduce that risk."

Some question whether the money could be better spent.

Father Michael Branham said, "From a taxpayer standpoint, they've had the natural grass for so long, and they haven't had any issues with it, I don't know why they would change their mind all of a sudden."

The school district is now accepting bids for the new turf. They hope to have it installed at the end of the summer, before the new school year begins. More than 55,000 students are in Katy ISD. According to the district's website, it's one of the fastest growing in the state. It's supposed to grow about five to six percent each year up until 2016

[KFDM COOP]

Money Money Money

[rtdirish]

It is money well spent. Turf is cost effective over the long run. If you got it you might as well spend it. It will be good for the kids in the long run.

[KFDM COOP]

I agree! Hopefully our Area will get caught up on these types of things.

[mat]

I can't comprehend their tax revenue because it translates to very little to no tax incerase to citizens.

[rapayne]

Although I have found their past decisions, such as the $10 ticket for a game to be preposterous I must say good call Katy ISD. This will help a lot, as I have seen very close how hard it is to keep up the fields without constant maintenance first hand in Diboll. Soccer season comes at such a nasty weather period and it just tears things up.