By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays school district approved five capital projects Monday night related to the new Hays High School, which is set to open this summer.
Four projects will be paid for with capital outlay funds, and one will be paid for with bond funds.
The board approved a bid and down payment for new scoreboards at Hays High School for $777,680.
These include scoreboards for the new Hays High School football stadium, both gyms and the softball field.
HHS broadcasting students will be able to participate in creating videos for the video boards.
The district will offer marketing packages that will help pay for the scoreboards, Superintendent Ron Wilson said.
Board member Derek Yarmer said he thought the money from this project should have come from bond funds.
Board member Allen Park and Yarmer voted against the project.
Tennis courts
The board approved a $687,937 bid from Stallbaumer Construction to construct new tennis courts at Hays High. The project will include adding four new courts and reconditioning the existing four.
The tennis courts will allow Hays High to host tournaments.
Wilson said Hays Middle School PE also could use the courts for classes.
The new courts should be available for use by the fall season.
Yarmer voted against the project.
Marquee
The board approved a digital marquee sign that will allow for recognition of students, staff and schools for Hays Middle School and Hays High School to be placed on 13th Street between Hays Middle and Hays High. The cost of the marquee is $66,364.
The bid did not include the stone monument and electrical extension to the sign. Wilson said he thought those costs would be $15,000 or less. He said the district plans to use excess material from construction at the Hays High School to build the monument.
Yarmer said he wanted the exact cost of the project. He voted against the purchase.
Weight room equipment
The board approved a bid from BSN Sports for weight room equipment for $146,710 for the new Hays High School. The funds are coming from bond proceeds.
Wrestling mats
The board approved a bid to purchase Resilite wrestling mats for $57,714 for the new Hays High School.
Yarmer said he thought the district overspent on the Hays High School project and is now paying for projects out of capital outlay. He said other projects, such as Hays Middle School, are suffering as a result.
"I feel the taxpayers have been generous. We are taking advantage of their generosity," Yarmer said.
Yarmer and Park voted against the purchase.