Trustees Approve New Track Project
The Wolf Point School Board decided to accept a bid of $1.495 million for a post-tensioned track by Tarkett Sports on Wednesday, June 4.
The motion, which ended up being unanimously approved, was made by trustee Michael Holen and seconded by trustee Liara Braaten.
After the motion was made, trustee Keith Higgins asked, “Can we afford it?” Holen added, “Yes, that’s the big question.”
Wolf Point Superintendent Dr. David Perkins then provided background of the track project. At an earlier meeting, Perkins recommended going with the less expensive scrape and resurface process for a track renovation. The bid for that project was $412,460. Perkins said he made that recommendation because of finances. He added that some other schools have been backing away from big projects because of federal funding uncertainty.
Perkins said he was concerned about Wolf Point’s Impact Aid fund getting too low. Impact Aid that would be used for the track project would largely come from the high school district, so it shouldn’t hinder the school district’s path of possibly building a new elementary school in the future.
The idea of doing only the scrape and resurface process suffered a hit when Jerod Petrino of Tarkett Sports examined the track in late May and determined that approach would improve the track for just a couple of years because of its poor condition. Perkins said $400,000 to $500,000 is a lot of money to spend on something that would last that short amount of time.
Perkins said the post-tensioned track is the best path in the long run.
“If you don’t, you have a practice track,” he said. The project will include a new pole vault pit and two new jump pits.
Higgins asked trustees if they want to have a track facility that doesn’t have meets. He said trustees are trying to make Wolf Point a better place to live.
Activities director Eric Peterson said participation for track this spring was 32 students at the high school and 47 at the junior high schools.
Board chair Roxanne Gourneau said, “If you don’t build today, you can’t afford it tomorrow.”
Gourneau said she will support the $1.495 million project on the condition that efforts are made to increase participation in sports. She recommended forming a sub-committee. She said she is willing to go door-to-door to encourage students if needed.
“Nobody is asking anybody to be first. We’re just asking them to be part of the team,” Gourneau said.
School officials said efforts to increase participation have included adding junior high golf and junior high tennis.
All high school and junior high coaches are encouraged to attend the Montana Coaches Association’s clinics held in late July each year to further their knowledge.
