By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school board decided to create a committee to help shape policy on naming rights for school district facilities.
The bank set a deadline of Sept. 15 to accept the offer.
Board member Ruth Ruder thanked Golden Belt Bank for what she called a tremendous offer.
"We just recently talked about taxes, and here you're given an opportunity to take $200,000 that is given from Golden Belt Bank," she said.
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She said although naming of facilities is usually seen at colleges, Hays could be at the forefront of something new.
She said the Golden Belt Bank offer did not include the bank's logo on the turf or changing the name of the school's mascot to the "Golden Belt Indians."
"When you are talking about increasing revenue, this is the way to do it," she said. "I'm not just talking about the football field. I'm talking about the auditorium, the basketball courts, the tennis courts."
Ruder said she could not think of a downside to Golden Belt Bank's offer.
"It's funds in our pocket. It's free funds. To me, that's positivity for the community and positivity on for Hays High School," she said.
Board member Jayme Goetz said she has talked to community members, teachers and coaches about the facility naming issue. She said those people had reservations, but indicated they would approve of naming rights if the price was right.
Goetz said she thought money raised from naming fields should be designated for turf replacement, and the price for those naming rights should be proportional to the cost of that replacement.
She estimated the cost of replacing the turf at $600,000 to $800,000 every eight to 10 years. She proposed naming rights should cost $35,000 to $40,000 per year.
Board member Meagan Zampeiri-Lillpopp said she believed a policy on naming rights was necessary.
"I am interested in the conversation," she said.
Board member Allen Park said, "If it's worth doing, it should be done right."
"This is policy, and that's our job. I think it should be fair. I think we should give the opportunity to everybody somehow," he said.
Board President Curt Vajnar said he did not think the board had a deadline for making decisions on naming rights. The bank has a deadline, he said.
"The naming of USD 489 facilities belongs to the citizens of Hays, not a business or entity. ... At the end of that end zone, it says Hays. It does not say Hays High School. It belongs to all of us."
Vajnar said he did not think the bank was offering enough for the naming rights for a 10-year contract. He also said he thought all businesses and entities should have the same opportunity to have naming rights, as Park discussed.
He echoed Goetz's comments, saying any money coming from the naming rights of the fields should be designated for field maintenance.
Board Vice President Ken Brooks said he did not think Golden Belt Bank had any ill intentions when making the donation offer.
"They were trying to help our community and help our school district," he said.
Brooks said everything the rest of the board was asking for in the contract was included, except for the donation paying for the full replacement of the turf.
He said the community members he has spoken to have been in favor of accepting the bank's donation.
"I get you may feel this is not enough, but this is a generous offer," Brooks said.
He said the football season was starting, and Golden Belt Bank was the only entity that came forward with such a donation offer.
"I get that we want to have a policy going forward, but I don't think that this is a bad plan," Brooks said. "When I look at what they proposed, I don't see any red flags in there."
Vajnar said he had spoken to officials at the bank, and he believed there was no ill will between the district and the bank.
"If it's worth that to them now, it will be worth it to them three or four months from now," Vajnar said, "Just because they were first doesn't mean it's theirs."
The board did not vote on the issue.