The board unanimously endorsed a proposal from Fisher Tracks to rebuild the track at Mettner Field at the Monday, April 10th, USD #298 Board of Education meeting. Formally accepting Fisher’s proposal and entering a contract with the Boone, Iowa, based track construction firm is contingent upon the USD #298 Track Fundraising Committee successfully raising $500,000 by December 31st, 2023, a number which will cover the majority of the cost of the project, barring any significant increases from suppliers in the next eight to 12 months.
“The process of finding a vendor for the track has been tedious, but after multiple site visits and proposals Fisher is clearly the best option, not just from an affordability standpoint, but also quality,” fundraising committee chair John Baetz said. “The board’s willingness to endorse this vendor and proposal is a step that will really allow us to put the work in to reach this goal. While it sounds like a big number, $500,000 is achievable, and a goal the committee is very optimistic it can reach, especially considering we’ve already raised $116,000 with the possibility of $200,000 by the end of June well within our reach.”
The Fisher proposal includes a complete demo of the existing structure, the installation of a new base and synthetic surface along with resizing the track to 400 meters – the current worldwide standard for competition – from the outdated 440 yards of the existing surface. The proposal also includes returning the long jump pits and runways to their previous location behind the goalpost at the north end of the football field and bringing the high jump surface up to current competition standards.
The board gave unanimous support to the proposal at Monday’s meeting but emphasized the district cannot commit to covering any of the expense for the project, especially given the number of other pressing facilities maintenance issues currently requiring attention.
In fact, the board heard a facilities assessment from Darrel Kohlman of DCS Services just prior to discussion between the board and track committee members.
The assessment provided a detailed expense breakdown for a number of maintenance issues for the school buildings in Lincoln, including immediate areas of concern in the boiler room at the Lincoln Elementary School, the restrooms at the elementary school, the HVAC units at the high school, and much more. Those improvements and repairs have a price tag ranging from $750,000 for the most pressing needs to over $2 million to comprehensively address all the issues.
USD #298 BOE president John Buttenhoff and member Jason Coover emphasized the expectation for the committee to raise the majority of the funds required for the track project, especially considering the long list of facilities needs the board had just heard.
“And maybe $500,000 is just that good goal to shoot for,” Buttenhoff said during Monday’s board meeting, “because that should help cover everything.”
How much has been raised?
The USD #298 Track Fundraising Committee has raised $116,000 since this effort started a little over two years ago, with a commitment of $40,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds from the Lincoln County Commission if the committee can raise just $24,000 more by the end of June.
“The county agreed the funds could be used for the project and pledged a 50% match, up to $40,000, if the committee is able to raise an additional $80,000 beyond what was raised at the time of the request a year ago,” USD #298 Track Fundraising committee and BOE member Jessica Kobbeman said. “This is a generous commitment and members of the committee are confident this goal can be achieved by the end of June.”
Track-A-Thon event is May 6th The next step in the fundraising process is the outdoor Track-A-Thon event planned for Saturday, May 6th, from 6 p.m. to Midnight at the track at Mettner Field Stadium. The USD #298 Track Fundraising Committee, along with the help of numerous volunteers, has organized a fun-filled event that will include food, music, games, prizes, and a sixhour team walk/run.
“We encourage community members to organize teams and seek pledges to be donated to the track fundraising effort,” Metz said. “The track is an essential piece of the community and educational infrastructure and the May 6th event will be a great way to raise money while also gathering community members in support of this important facility. You can pick up fundraising forms at The Bank of Tescott, Citizens State Bank, the USD #298 District Office, or the Lincoln County Health Dept.”
Look for more details regarding the Track-A-Thon on the USD #298 Track Fundraising Committee Facebook page.
Funds will come from numerous sources Committee members recognize that funds to complete this project are going to come from a variety of resources, with many located outside Lincoln County borders.
“The fundraising effort is going to require a number of donors and grants to complete the effort, and now that we have a goal, an affordable proposal from a quality vendor, and a timeline, the real work of this effort begins,” Baetz said. “If you have suggestions of potential donors or grant opportunities, please feel free to call any of the committee members or message us on Facebook.”
The track surface is the next piece requiring attention in a years long effort to renovate and beautify the Mettner Field athletic venue with bleacher repairs and improvements, a new press box, new sidewalks, additional lighting and seating, and drainage improvements all parts of a largely volunteer effort.
“This facility is multi-purpose and has already seen massive improvements thanks to the volunteer efforts of so many,” Track Fundraising committee member Becky Cheney said. “The track is an asset that serves all demographics of our community. It’s an economic driver and an important aesthetic feature of the community. We can get this done.”
The USD #298 Track Fundraising Committee consists of: John Baetz, (785) 524-6019, johnbaetz@ gmail.com Becky Cheney, (785) 488-8642, beckcheney@ gmail.com Jenna Farris, (785) 384-0666, farris. [email protected] Jessica Kobbeman, (970) 903-3215, [email protected] Jim Metz, (785) 531-9569, jmetz@csbanc. com
*Article submitted by the USD #298 Track Renovation Committee
