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Board OKs ‘weighty’ decision
Rutland Herald | February 22, 2017
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
STAFF WRITER
SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield School Board voted Monday to tap the high school’s athletic uniform fund to pay for the removal of lead paint on the ceiling of the high school weight room.
The unusual request from the high school’s athletic director, Timothy MacDonnell, came because the new school budget had already been finalized, said Finance Director Steven Hier. The cost to pay for the paint removal and repainting is $7,500.
The athletic uniform fund comes from the gate receipts to sporting activities at Springfield schools, and has traditionally been used only for replacing athletes’ uniforms, Hier said.
The receipts usually generate more money than the fund needs, he said, and there is adequate money to pay for the paint work and still leave a good balance.
The issue came up because the high school is about to receive some old weight equipment from Dartmouth College, and the local Rotary Club had also raised money for a new mat for the room, according to Superintendent Zachary McLaughlin.
The flaking paint was tested and revealed to contain lead, he added.
Hier said it was a “onetime request” that was a result of the new budget being finalized, as well as the current budget freeze, which is due to higher-thanexpected special education costs.
School Director Laura Ryan asked if there was a health issue with the peeling paint, but McLaughlin said there was no immediate problem.
Hier said that the fund usually takes in $14,000 a year in gate receipts, with the first $ 2,500 going into the school’s general fund. About $ 13,000 a year is spent on uniforms.
The fund balance i s currently a little over $22,000.
School Director Jeanice Garfield asked if all the girls’ sports uniforms were also being replaced on a timely basis, saying she had heard otherwise.
But McLaughlin said they were.
The fund has also been used to pay for the outdoor lights at Brown Field at Riverside Park, Hier said.
Maybe the school should spend the $200 for disposable hazmat suits and masks and let the student weight lifters do the job themselves. Could have been done this week, but I know the students and teachers need the time off. Like when was the last time they had a day off. But I agree it is good excerise laying around on the couch staring at FB and games.
ReplyDeleteshouldn't this of been a separate budget request at budget time,i guess this shows that the budget isn't bare bones and the budget isn't as tight as they say,so we really didn't need new uniforms this year,but we put money in for them,i guess the budget committee needs to start looking harder for cuts,i also heard the school budget was froze,only spending to be done is for thing's that are a necessity,why was this so important ?
ReplyDeleteThe AD needs to go. He has proven to be a poor role model. No money should be taken from uniforms for lead paint removal. Guess he hasn't noticed how crappy the MS Field Hockey uniforms were. They get hand me downs from the high school instead on new ones. Perhaps he should go to Woodstock permanently and find some lead paint to remove there.
ReplyDeleteSo instead we sit here and allow our children to be weightlifting in a lead paint environment. When they are weight lifting, they sweat. When you sweat your pores open up, and when your pores open up, and lead paint chips are falling from the ceiling, your body can absorb the lead. Just what I would want my children being exposed to if they were weightlifting. Id pay for lead paint removal over new uniforms anyday.
ReplyDeleteMoney should be coming from elsewhere. The school district complains about money, but has this much put aside? Lead paint is a maintenance issue, not an AD issue period. Like I said he needs to be replaced. Perhaps I could remove lead paint and asbestos from my house if my taxes weren't so high,
DeleteIf the district can't afford to remove lead paint, which probably should have been done years ago, why did they just buy a rundown house that now needs to be torn down?
ReplyDelete