Cloverdale has renovations in $36K ballpark

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale School Board unanimously approved a $35,600 renovation of the high school's baseball field at Monday night's meeting.

After a discussion with Cloverdale High School Sonny Stoltz at a "work session" an hour earlier, board members decided to go with the lower of the two bids submitted for the project. The project will begin this fall and end in the spring.

The renovations will include "only necessities," as well as replacing sod, Stoltz said. Contractors will also move the diamond to maximize the use of the shape of the baseball field.

Board members also discussed technology developments in the district with Technology Coordinator John Davis and Technology Trainer Julie Gellert.

Board member Todd Whitlock told Davis and Gettert that they need to be proactive about estimating the district's increasing demand for computer equipment and develop a plan to regularly upgrade its technology.

Currently, Davis said the district uses only five percent of its available Internet bandwidth. Whitlock, however, warned that usage will quickly grow beyond what the existing two T-1 connections can handle.

Board member Tony Hacker, however, questioned whether the district should be spending money on new technology if teachers still aren't familiar with what they already have.

Also at the meeting, for the second consecutive month, Hacker voted against paying the district's monthly bills. Hack would not elaborate on the reasons for his no vote beyond saying that he has unanswered questions about how some spending is reimbursed.

Hacker also persuaded board members to table approval of elementary teacher Jill Schreiber as volunteer girls basketball coach. When other board members resisted the move, Hacker threatened to discuss his reservations about the appointment at the meeting, rather than taking it to executive session.

The board voted 5-2 to discuss Schreiber's appointment later, with member James F. Sharp and Vice President Bobbi Nees dissenting.

The school board also welcomed Stacey Falls as the new high school softball coach. Falls was a member of the Turkey Run High School Team that won the 1996 state softball championship.