Turfing Ashley Field: Project PriceTag Rockets 42% to $2.4M

The hardest part of this story is how to title it.  There were so many subplots that were dragged into the daylight at the January 9, 2012 FTT Committee meeting:

• Stackhouse Tossed Under The Bus!
• "Better" Numbers Means Bigger Price Tag!
• Now Seeking Referendum to Turf Ashley!
• How Much Fundraising For Asley?  Zilch. Zero. Zed. Nada. 零.
• 18 Months Later  and NO Fundraising for Ashley Field!

It's been nearly a year since we heard anything about the project to put artificial turf on Ashley Field, build new team locker rooms, and add parking (after we cut out so much parking during the CHUMS re-model).  Many wondered if the idea had withered on the vine.

Now we learn that the project, which was originally (April 2010) said to cost $1.3M has soared off the charts to $2.4M. Asked for an explanation, district administration simply said, "We have better numbers now", effectively tossing former school board member and Ashley advocate David Stackhouse under the bus.

What Referendum?  Costs That Multiply Like Rabbits
How does a project increase 42% in less than a year?  How does it mushroom 83% in less than 2 years?
WHY WHY WHY does this district continue to pound for more than more, better than best?  And how do these numbers keep growing?  What originally was discussed as a maximum taxpayer commitment of $475,000 has ballooned into the idea of going to referendum with the "new building (elementary school) referendum?  Note once again that no decision has been made to even BUILD a new building...but athletic director McClowry and district administration put forth a Situation Report that sure seems certain that that is what's going to happen?

Let's stroll back through time, shall we?  Take a look see at how the landscape of the Ashley Project has changed.

April 26, 2010 School Board Meeting
Projected Cost: $1.314M ($475K District; $839K fundraising)
RECOMMENDATION:
The construction of locker rooms, toilet facilities, additional parking and installation of artificial turf will solve all of the above problems, as well as make the field more friendly to community use.

District obligation: To utilize a portion of the transportation and maintenance savings to build a parking lot on district property north of Ashley Field. Also, to finance a portion of the costs to construct and equip the locker room, toilet facilities and a mat for the SOAR gym. Approximate district commitment of $475,000.

May 24, 2010 FTT Meeting

RECOMMENDATION:
The construction of locker rooms, toilet facilities, additional parking and installation of artificial turf will solve all of the above problems, as well as make the field more friendly to community use.
Step 1: Allow the Sun Prairie Quarterback Club to actively campaign and be the primary contact for private donations and fundraising for artificial turf and to help create locker room facilities to be attached to the SOAR building. This will be done through a collaborative effort with other organizations that will utilize the facility.
Step 2: For the district to back the funding of the project, as they have done with the turf project for baseball, based upon the commitment of the fundraising effort. A complete plan will be submitted for board review.
Step 3: District obligation: To utilize a portion of the transportation and maintenance savings to build a parking lot on district property north of Ashley Field. Also, to finance a portion of the costs to construct and equip the locker room, toilet facilities and a mat for the SOAR gym. Approximate district commitment of $475,000.
Action needed at this time:
To approve Step #1 as outlined above, request details for Step #2, and request the Quarterback Club to obtain concept drawings and cost estimates for Step #3.
The result of school board action on that was to postpone the item and refer it back to the FTT committee for its 5-24-10 meeting.

June 14, 2010 School Board Meeting

RECOMMENDATION:

5.05 Ashley Field Improvements
Motion as recommended by the Facilities, Technology & Transportation
Committee  TO APPROVE STEP 1 AND ALLOW THE SUN PRAIRIE 
QUARTERBACK CLUB TO ACTIVELY CAMPAIGN AND BE THE PRIMARY 
CONTACT FOR PRIVATE DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISING FOR ARTIFICIAL 
TURF.
APPROVE THE CONCEPT OF STEP 2:
APPROVE THE CONCEPT OF STEP 3:
APPROXIMATE DISTRICT COMMITMENT OF $475,000.
Motion carried 


March 21, 2011 School Board Meeting
Projected Cost: $1.68M (no breakdown of who pays for what)
Fundraising: $0.
RECOMMENDATION:
6.04 Ashley Field Improvements

Motion by David Stackhouse, second by John Welke TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE TO APPROVE THE LOWEST BID FOR THE ARCHITECT WORK AT ASHLEY FIELD, AND FOR THE FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH THE PRIORITIES FOR THE ASHLEY FIELD PROJECT. Motion Carried

Note:  The official recommendation from FTT included the following:
In exploring the project it was clear that the funding would be shared both by the district and independent fund-raising, with the majority coming from independent sources. The district funding would primarily come from maintenance savings, additional use fees and the yearly School Board approved capital projects budget.


At this point, the committee recommends that the board considers this project to be a future priority and one that will be explored as funding becomes available, while independent organizations are engaged in fundraising activities.

January 9, 2012 School Board Meeting
Projected Cost: $2.4M (no breakdown of who pays for what; discussion of referendum)
Fundraising to-date: $0.
RECOMMENDATION:

The Athletics & Activities Director, the Supervisor of Building & Grounds, the Deputy District Administrator (Business & Operations), the Principal of Alternative Programs, and the High School Football Coach met several times to discuss the next steps. The recommendation is:

1. To not anticipate nor ask for any school district contribution for the project outside the normal capital projects budget
2. To encourage the Quarterback Booster Club to begin fund raising to support this project.
3. To gain broader community input, ask the School Board to include upgrades to Ashley field with the next referendum; either as a separate question or included with the building question

And Nobody Came...
We're not sure which chaps us more...
....whether it was Mr. McClowry, when asked how much fundraising has occurred to date, stammering that none had occurred and that he wasn't aware that fundraising had been approved.
...or that a $2.4M project of this magnitude was being discussed and NON ONE from the football community (or any other sports that might benefit) even showed up to support it!

Is it apathy?  unmitigated gall? Or is it that the people behind this project don't want to spend one minute seeking donations?  Why should they?  When they can tack the whole project onto the elementary school referendum which the school board seems to think is not necessarily even in the cards?  What do the McClowry's, Frie's and Kaminski's know that the school board--and the public-- does not.

For Shame!
When baseball Coach Rob Hamilton wanted to upgrade the new baseball field and make it a state-of-the-art, drool-worthy competition site, he didn't ask for public monies.  He went out and solicited public donations to pay for the upgrades.

When the music boosters wanted to upgrade from a really nice concert piano to a breathtaking Steinway Model D, what did they do?  They busted their collective hump to solicit not only the funds needed for the upgrade, but also for funds to pay for future maintenance and tuning of the piano.

Even the agriculture program hit the streets and collected donations in support of the new greenhouse.

But footballers?  Not to mention all the other sports that could use an upgraded Ashley Field?
Nothing. Not one thin dime.  What IS up with that?
Epic failure.  SOMEONE ought to be ashamed.