Field proposal at Oak Glen approved
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NEW CUMBERLAND -- Upgrades are in store for the baseball and softball fields at Oak Glen High School, following a vote Monday from the Hancock County Board of Education.
The school board unanimously approved a recommendation from Superintendent Dan Enich for new turf and lighting at the fields, in an area designated as the Field of Dreams located on the Oak Glen campus.
Work would begin once a level of substantial completion is reached on the construction of new baseball and softball fields at Weir High School.
"It should get started after those two projects are completed," he said.
The proposal for new turf and lighting had been tabled by the board during two separate recent meetings, with some board members expressing concern over the cost of the project. Initial estimates pointed to a cost of $2.5 million for the turf and $600,000 for the lighting, although officials indicated there might have been some cost-saving opportunities.
Joe Campinelli, chief financial officer for the school district, previously had suggested a seven-year financing plan for the project.
Board member Jim Horstman noted the contract calls only for the replacement of the lighting and the installation of turf at the two fields.
"There's nothing in there for batting cages or anything," Horstman said.
Director of Facilities and Maintenance Mark Dziatkowicz explained batting cages and other amenities could be handled through a combination of in-house labor and smaller bid packages, similar to some of the work at Weir High School.
Board President Chris Gillette offered his thanks to Enich for getting the project under way, although Enich gave credit to board member Gerard Spencer, Oak Glen Principal Dave Smith, and a group of coaches and others, who came together to compile ideas for the project.
"We scouted both fields and they saw what they wanted," he said of the group recently visiting the Weir High campus to compare options for Oak Glen.
Enich also expressed appreciation to former superintendent Dawn Petrovich and previous members of the school board for their work in getting the Weir High projects moving forward.
In related matters, Enich asked that a proposal estimate for the Weir High School complex from JT Sauer and Associates be tabled, noting the documents had been presented to board members just prior to the start of Monday's meeting.
No details of the proposal were discussed.