Sparta school referendum may sport new look

SPARTA - Sparta education officials are looking to attract a few good sports to the voting booth in September when a referendum to renovate and expand the existing high school is presented before township residents. The board of education is considering adding the resurfacing of the high school’s football field with synthetic turf as one of two referendums on the upcoming September ballot. The other referendum will ask residents to approve the $73.2 million reconstruction project. Sparta Superintendent Thomas Morton believes combining the referendums may strum up support for the high school reconstruction project while addressing the district’s degenerating athletic fields. “I think it’s a real good idea,” he said. “The construction equipment will already be there. As long as the cost is not astronomical, why not do it all at once?” The cost for resurfacing the softball and football fields with “sport turf,” as well installing lights and expanding the seating capacity to accommodate 2,500 spectators is estimated at $2 million. 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. “It really doesn’t matter what I think - let the people decide if they want to upgrade the athletic facilities,” said Morton, who has spearheaded efforts behind a likely referendum to address the high school’s overcrowded classrooms and increasing student population district-wide. “That should be what it’s all about. Letting people decide what’s best for their community.” Meanwhile, the school board continues to explore avenues to reduce the $73.2 million sticker price for renovation and expansion. One school official said this week that already $1.8 million in cost-cutting measures were proposed and more may be feasible. The school board approved the high school reconstruction project in January after a long and exhaustive search. For almost three years, the school board struggled to find land to build a new school before settling on expansion and renovation of the existing facility, which has stood off Route 517 on Mountain Road for more than 50 years. The plan, which was chosen from one of six designs presented by the Spiezle Architectural Group, of Trenton, is expected to accommodate 1,525 students with additional facilities including 24 new classrooms, three music and faculty team rooms, an auditorium, commons/cafeteria, kitchen, double gymnasium and locker rooms. Cost of the 137,910 square-feet of additions is estimated at $34.5 million. If voters approve the proposed referendum, the high school will lose practice and playing fields for the football and softball teams, as well as for the marching band. Construction would force Sparta teams to use its game-day field for daily practices, said Pat Shea, the school’s athletic director “We definitely have a need -- field-wise,” said Shea. “It’s a tough situation until something is done.” 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. School board member Paul Johnson agrees that the high school fields are in bad shape, but said inducing support from residents associated with the school’s athletic programs in an effort to bring out the vote may not be a good idea. “I believe we are jeopardizing the main referendum by doing this at this time,” he said. “I’m not opposed to turfing the field. I believe that if we waited 2-3 years, you could pass this referendum. I just don’t think now is the right time to bring it up.” The school board has asked the architect behind the reconstruction project to study plans for resurfacing the athletic fields before a decision on an additional referendum is made. “It’s not a perfect solution, but perhaps an adequate solution would be to turf the existing field,” said Michael Schavoni. “It makes it more complicated if you don’t pass the renovation referendum. Then, the rethinking of the field is null and void.” The Department of Education must first approve plans related to spending, curriculum and facilities before the school board can hold the public referendum in September on the proposed expansion of the high school.