Second question for sport fields added to school referendum

SPARTA - The school board approved a resolution to resurface the high school’s football field with synthetic turf or “sport turf.” The $2.49 million proposal will be presented to voters as one of two referendums on the upcoming September ballot, when residents will first be asked to approve the $73.2 million reconstruction project. The second question on the referendum will ask voters to approve the reconditioning of the existing football and baseball fields with an artificial surface, construction of a new grandstand with a press box, and installation of new lighting and sound systems. Passage of the athletic fields resurfacing will be contingent upon passage of the reconstruction project, which officials said will address overcrowded classrooms at the high school and an increasing student population districtwide. School superintendent Thomas Morton, who has been discussing the resurfacing proposal with Sparta Mayor Alish Hambel, said the plan makes sense to provide upgraded athletic fields that would serve the recreational needs of both the high school and township. If voters approve the proposed reconstruction referendum, the high school will lose practice and playing fields for the football and softball teams, as well as the marching band. Sparta would then become the only football team to use its game-day field for daily practices, said Pat Shea, the school’s athletic director Shea has been pushing the board of education to resurface the athletic fields. He said the costs for installing synthetic turf would be recouped in savings from the daily maintenance required of natural grass. The school board has asked the architect behind the reconstruction project to submit plans for resurfacing the athletic fields to the Department of Education.