Board Approves Facilities Phase I Project, Delays Decision on Turf Fields

The Bexley Board of Education voted to approve the district’s Facilities Phase I recommendation on March 11, and will take steps this Spring to put a financing request on the November general election ballot. After meeting discussion, the Board pivoted slightly in regard to what Phase I may include.

The ballot issue request will total $115 million and is expected to pay for four development and maintenance projects:

1. Construction of a new middle school ($82 million)
2. Capital improvements to existing buildings ($24 million)
3. Stadium maintenance and improvements ($4 million)
4. Surface Improvements to Maryland and Montrose play fields ($5 million).

Board members did not make a final decision regarding adding turf to Maryland or Montrose properties. Rather, they agreed to include the funding needed to improve the surface fields at both elementary schools in the ballot issue.

Board President Joanne Pickrell proposed last night to create a new superintendent’s committee to develop a long-term vision for the district’s open spaces, ensuring students, staff, and the community have safe, durable spaces for play, learning, sports, and extracurricular activities. This committee will be formed if the community votes to approve the November ballot issue.

Ms. Pickrell’s said the new committee would complement the district’s long-term Facilities Plan. Working alongside and in conjunction with a middle school design committee (also formed if the ballot request is approved), she said this new group could be tasked to develop a long-term plan to improve the district’s open spaces, with a focus on the Phase 1 projects, and may include improvements and/or incorporation of outdoor classrooms, natural play spaces, playgrounds, and athletic fields.

The suggested group would be comprised of community members, school leaders, Board members, students, faculty, staff, coaches, and alumni and would be asked to research and develop a plan to address surface options for Maryland and Montrose Elementary fields that includes, but is not limited to, natural grass, turf, artificial turf, no-fill artificial turf, etc. Its members also would consider the cost, maintenance, and durability of each option.

The proposed committee also could consider the development of the Cassady Avenue complex and the potential fields at that location, though funding to develop the Cassady fields will not be included in the Phase I plan.

Upon the completion of its work, the open-space committee would be asked to present its long-term plan and recommendation to improve the fields of Maryland and Montrose to the Board of Education. Their recommendation, it was suggested, would coincide with the final proposed configuration of the new middle school. Board members would vote whether to approve the proposed middle school design and the open-space plan at some point after considering both committees’ recommendations.

“I think we’ve proven that we have committed to running a community-driven process,” the Board president said. “We cannot build this, we cannot design this, without our community, and so I am willing to make sure that includes the plan for outdoor spaces as well.”

Ms. Pickrell added, “This idea is not mine.” She said the idea came from a community member.

Board member Victoria Powers stated that the district must include funding for field improvement in the November ballot issue request, regardless of what field type is eventually approved for Maryland and Montrose. “I don’t think we need to have a final decision tonight about turf, what the ground is going to have, but we do have to recognize that we’re going to do hard work to plan for that to make it workable for our students and our community,” she said. “But it’s going to cost us something.”