Main Street Middle School track meet at the Montpelier High School track. Photo by John Lazenby.
Plans for a new track at the Montpelier High School were significantly scaled back by the Montpelier Roxbury School Board at its Oct. 19 board meeting. That proposal included resurfacing the old clay and cinder track and adding artificial turf to the athletic field, among other improvements (see ) with a price tag that topped $5 million.
Board members said on Wednesday they were willing to consider funding a new surface for the track alone, plus a new small equipment garage if funds are available within the current budget.
The district’s fourth quarter fiscal report will be reviewed at the next board meeting on Nov. 2. Superintendent Libby Bonesteel said she expects to document that there are adequate unspent funds within the current budget to cover the $1.8 million estimated cost of the revised project. School board members said they will reach out to voters to get their reactions to the adjusted track proposal. With the additional information, board members plan to vote on the revised proposal at the Nov. 2 regular school board meeting.
Facilities Manager Andrew LaRosa explained that the initial estimates at the $5.3 million level were prepared based to put public input adding an artificial turf playing field, a more elaborate maintenance facility, stadium and press box in perspective.
LaRosa noted that the approved funding for the project includes the $1.5 million carried over from the previous year. With the maintenance building scaled back to a garage similar to the one now adjacent the track, the $300,000 for its construction can be covered by the district’s existing construction budget, he said.
