Proposed Howell Athletic Complex Draws Questions from Board

Equity was the word of the night at the Francis Howell Board of Education meeting.

Francis Howell High School is the lone school in the District with just one athletic field, but that one field is top-of-the line. The football field at Francis Howell is made of a synthetic grass surface, something Francis Howell Central and Francis Howell North don't have. 

Half of the situation could have been resolved Thursday night with a proposal to build more athletic fields at Howell, however, the Board decided it needed more time and more information and pushed the decision back to February. 

The disparity between the three schools was the topic of conversation at the meeting. Supporters decked out in garb for Central and North, showed up to the meeting to oppose a proposal to spend $2.4 million to build an athletic complex—two baseball fields, a softball field and a football-sized practice field. 

For the , the public comment portion of the meeting was a parade of pro-turf supporters. Because Howell has turf, parents and representatives from North and Central are requesting turf of their own. The argument in favor of the turf is the by getting rid of the grass, the schools will be able to use the field more. In the fall, the Central boys soccer team lost a home playoff after weather muddied the field. 

The turf supporters want all three schools to be equal, something that just may not happen. In fact, Chief Financial Officer Kevin Supple, said the bigger issue is making sure Howell has more than one field. 

"Our goal is to provide parity, not equity," Supple said. "It's virtually impossible to provide equity."

Supple said the current situation at Howell—every team fighting over one field—is something that needs to be fixed. He said that Howell has gone years without additional fields while Central has five and North has four. He added that while adding synthetic turf fields at North and Central would be great, it would cost an additional estimated $1.5 million based off what it cost to turf Howell's field. 

The proposal Supple presented Thursday included the fields and a bus parking lot. The bus parking lot—at the end of a long roadway entrance into the complex—caught the eye of Board treasurer Mike Hoehn. The thought of 50-plus buses coming in and out during events and practices is a concern.

"There's no way with a clear conscience I could approve this in it's present form," Hoehn said. "… I do not think it's safe for our students at all."

Supple disagreed saying the plan was similar to the current situation at North. He said he has faith in the bus drivers to be careful.

"I don't share the same concern about the safety as you do," he said. 

Board member Marty Hodits said he wasn't a fan of the proposal.

"We need to take a step back," he said. "… We have a lot of other activities in the District that needs that money, too."

Hoditis continued by saying he was disappointing the District was considering abandoning it's heritage. For years Howell students have played baseball at C&H Fields—an off-campus site. Hodits said he didn't like that current coaches weren't consulted about the plans for on-campus fields. 

"It's upsetting to me to know that this type of operation is going on," he said about the coaches being left in the dark. 

Francis Howell student Samantha Melton was the student representative for the meeting. Melton said that, as a soccer player, she has no connection to the baseball program but even she had seen the plans. She said that if the coaches hadn't seen them, they didn't take advantage of the chance to do so.

Melton also said that having multiple fields would make practice a lot easier for Howell students. In addition to not having to fight for time on the one field, students wouldn't have to drive off-campus to practice. She said her parents were concerned with her riding with new drivers to practice on a regular basis, something that wouldn't be an issue if the practice sites were within walking distance. 

Board member Cynthia Bice said she felt she needed more information before she could make a decision. 

"I'm not sure I have enough information to feel good about voting yes or no," she said. 

Bice said the Board should consider pulling back and taking another look at the plan—making sure the everything is safe and that the athletic complex is where the money should be spent. 

Board member Amy McEvoy agreed. With the $2.4 million coming from the bond fund, and the district having a list of projects it needs to complete, it may be best to take a step back. 

McEvoy requested a workshop at the Feb. 2, meeting to discuss future projects. She said that the board needs to take the bond money that's left and hammer out a list of projects well in advance. Basically, she said she wanted to prioritize future projects to make sure the money is being spent on things that need it. 

The rest of the board agreed and a work session was scheduled for the next meeting.

Other Notes

• Marty Hodits, Steve Johnson, Eric Seider and Marie Haupt have decided to run for the two open school board spots. Hoditis and Johnson are the incumbents. The four will be running for a three-year term at the April 3 General Election. 
• The Board accepted a donation of 11 Smartboards to Warren Elementary.