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Durango School District 9-R to investigate using pledges to finance stadium

Board plans further community budget meetings
The Durango Herald file photo<br><br>The Durango School District 9-R board of education is looking at creative ways to fund a remodel of the Durango High School stadium after initial plans fell through.

When Durango School District 9-R and the Durango Education Foundation kicked off their fundraising campaign for the upgrade of the Durango High School stadium in October, they seemed confident they could raise the $1.6 million needed for Phase II in time to begin the construction the day after graduation this spring.

But at the school board meeting Tuesday, 9-R Superintendent Dan Snowberger said it’s not coming together so easily, and a decision will have to be made in the next six weeks to two months as to whether the work can begin this year.

The citizens advisory committee has not been able to find businesses that can write checks for amounts as high as $750,000 for field-naming privileges, he said, but some would be able to pledge $75,000 a year for 10 years.

The district might be able to finance the Phase II remodel, at no or low interest with firm pledges, Snowberger said.

“Without that, the chances of pulling off the work this summer are slim to none,” he said. “We’ve now pointed out to the community how dangerous that football field is to all the teams who use it, including soccer and lacrosse, that it’s deplorable. I don’t know how we can ask students to play on it again next year.”

The board conducted a straw poll to allow district officials to explore the financing option, with a report due at the Feb. 23 board meeting. The board already authorized $900,000 from its capital funds to be used for Phase I of the stadium remodel and has said it will not commit any more money.

Already interest exists to fund the third phase, which will include a training center, by several entities involved in the health care field, Snowberger said.

In other areas:

The board will hold a second round of meetings with the community regarding the budget next week. Meetings will examine survey results, a budget update and a deeper look at the options of raising revenues, cutting expenses or maintaining the status quo.

“We’re darned if we do and darned if we don’t,” Snowberger said about what items to put on the list as potential cuts. “If we talk about items, they immediately jump to the conclusion we’re not going to fund them. Other people say we’re not putting other potential items to cut on the table, and we’re trying to lead them down the garden path to a mill levy.”

The board also has asked for an analysis of the effectiveness of early-release time on Mondays. The district will conduct a survey at all school levels.

The committee working on revising the Code of Conduct has finished gathering research and input and will begin the work of putting pen to paper at its next meeting on Feb. 17, said Jackie Oros, chief student advocacy officer, who co-chairs the committee with DHS Principal Leanne Garcia.

If the group is able to finalize its revisions at its next meeting, two codes, a general version for all students and one for students involved in activities, will be presented at the board’s meeting Feb. 23 and could be enacted in time for spring sports. Otherwise, the codes will go into effect with the next school year, she said.

abutler@durangoherald.com

If you go

The survey for community budget input for Durango School District 9-R will close at 5 p.m. Sunday. To take the survey, visit http://durangoschools.org/news/budget-session-january-2016 and click on the survey link.

The school district will hold two budget follow-up meetings with the community next week:

6 p.m. Tuesday in the library at Durango High School, 2390 Main Ave.

6 p.m. Feb. 18 in the library at Escalante Middle School, 141 Baker Lane.

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Jan 19, 2016
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Oct 27, 2015
Durango High School begins upgrade on stadium
Oct 14, 2015
Review of athletic conduct code begins in 9-R
Sep 2, 2015
Gearing up for stadium fundraising
May 20, 2015
Finances testing school district
Jun 9, 2014
Athletic facilities in dire need of repair


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