SP chooses gym floor design, talks budget

The chosen design for South Putnam High School’s new gym floor will feature blue letters and lanes inside the free-throw line.

Courtesy photo

During what was a relatively short meeting recently, the South Putnam School Board conducted its public hearing on the 2019 budget.

With no audience in attendance and no comments or additional input from members, the board closed the hearing. The budget will be tentatively approved at this month’s regular meeting.

In addition, South Putnam Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt moved to add additional appropriations in the board’s rainy day fund. The board approved those appropriations.

The board also finally approved the design for the new gym floor at South Putnam High School. The hardwood will feature blue SP letters and a blue lane at the free-throw lines.

The design was one of three that was proposed to students, faculty, and South Putnam alumni. The second was essentially the same except with a natural lane. The third design had red SP letters, and also featured the original “Eagle Nest” logo.

According to a poll found on the South Putnam Athletics Twitter page, the third design was more popular. However, the board, as well as other administrators involved in the project, went further to gather consensus.

“There were votes from different avenues,” South Putnam Athletic Director Tom Starnes assured in a statement to the Banner Graphic Tuesday afternoon. He provided that input was also collected at recent games, recognizing that many would not have access to social media sites like Twitter.

In an additional statement yesterday afternoon, Starnes said the final physical layout would be essentially the same as the design chosen by the board.

Some further decisions regarding different materials, as well as whether or not the wood will be painted or stained, will be decided as the school works with Cincinnati Floor Co., which is installing the floor.

Starnes and other administrators have been integral in forwarding the process since the new wood arrived in mid-September.

The vote is the last major decision the board will likely make with regard to the new hardwood as the floor continues to be laid in the coming weeks.

School officials are still hopeful that the floor will be ready before the first high school girls’ basketball game against Cloverdale on Oct. 30.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the MS/HS Learning Center.