The Garretson School board held a special meeting last Wednesday, on April 17. This meeting was almost entirely about the scoreboard system.
As requested, Superintendent Guy Johnson had gone back to Daktronics with the school board’s directive to see what other options might be available for the complex and the gym, the board having determined that a single outdoor video scoreboard for the last listed price was too steep.
Supt. Johnson presented the board with several options they liked much better this time around. First, they like the idea of a modular scoreboard in the Athletic Complex outside. Part of the high price of an exterior video board is that it needs to be weatherproof and stand up to outdoor conditions in South Dakota, and to be functional in all weather. All these items together mean a more robust and complicated build. However, if they purchase a board that is modular, they can add more upgrades over time and allow local organizations or business sponsors to contribute to adding a video system to the new board. They could get a new, functional board for much less this way, and give it add-ons over time.
This would free them to use the money saved to simply buy a new video board for the gymnasium. Interior video boards are much less expensive as they don’t require protection from the elements.
“I like this option, as we’re getting as much as we can for every dollar we’re spending,” said Tana Clark. “We have made a budget for this project, but with this option we’re getting a lot more for our district and our patrons and we’re still spending under that budget.”
The whole board agreed that getting as much as possible for their Capital Outlay fund dollars was their priority. The motion they passed was to approve quote number #789630-1-3 for a modular scoreboard at the athletic complex that has the capability of adding a video board in the future and a new video board in the new gym, and to allow Mr. Johnson and Mr. Schrank the latitude to choose options valued at $6,500, using funds already allocated in the Capital Outlay Fund.
Originally, they were also going to talk about bleacher bids as well, but they tabled that as Supt. Johnson had no fresh numbers to report there, but that he would hopefully have something to report to the board at their next regular meeting.
They did enter an executive session to talk contract negotiations at 6:45 p.m. and were in executive until 7:34 p.m., but passed no resolutions except a motion to adjourn.
