BOE approves track upgrades

By Jennifer Jean Miller
SPARTA — The track at Sparta High School has been a topic of discussion for the Sparta Board of Education twice in the recent past, once in March 2012 and then again in Oct. 2012. Both efforts and votes failed, with the Oct. 2012 estimate at $3.1 million for the project.

The Oct. 2012 referendum presented a plan for an upgrade to the athletic field, with stadium seating, and a rubberized track surrounding the field.

The board of education unanimously adopted the plan for the new track this time on Monday, June 23.

The new budget, which was approved in April 2014, allowed for $540,000 from the budget, with $200,000 from capital reserve, for the project’s funding.

The track replacement was estimated at $700,000 at the budget hearing presentation on April 24. The actual amount budgeted as a base figure was $700,000, less $160,000 for supplementary costs such as fencing.

The district began advertising for the track replacement at the end of April, with American Athletic Courts, Inc., coming in with the lowest bid of the three received at $780,500.

The costs include a base rate for the project of $698,500. Additionally, fence installation, removal of the old stone and replacement of clean stone, encapsulation of the track, and change of the track's color, complement the project, for the additional $82,000.

The approved measure also included $253,500 that the board voted on additionally from the Capital Reserve Account to supplement the difference.

The current track at the high school has not been in use for approximately five years.

“The Board of Education and School Administration are pleased that we will be able to address the renovation of our high school track and that our physical education students and track athletes will have the facilities they deserve moving forward,” said Dennis Tobin, Superintendent of Schools for the Sparta Township School District.