New facility planned at no cost to LISD
Quarterback Club hopes to fund dressing rooms with donations, in-kind services
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

Badger Field could be getting a new dressing area if the Lampasas Quarterback Club is able to raise funds to pay for the facility.

David Millican, president of the football booster club, said he believes enough donations of cash and in-kind services will enable the facility to be constructed. The 40x100-square-foot building will provide locker rooms for both home and visiting teams.

Presently, teams are using the middle school facilities across the street from the stadium, and the Board of Trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District would rather students not have to cross the road to access dressing facilities on game nights.

Trustees gave the go-ahead so the booster club could begin fund-raising, and members will bring a progress report to the board soon.

School board members also sought assurances that the facility would not cost the LISD any money and that the project would not be halted midway due to a lack of funding. Millican eased trustees' fears and assured board members that donations already have been promised.

Total cost is projected at about $100,000 to $125,000, Millican said. "We think we can get it all in donations," he said, adding that if the club fell short of its goal, it would be willing to obtain a bank note to provide the balance needed to complete construction.

"I am totally in favor of this as long as the school has no financial obligation to it," said James Briggs, LISD board president. "I do know we need this, but with the district's priorities being the new high school and elementary campuses and planned renovations, we can't afford it."

Millican said he would like to see the project completed in August. "That's our wish list."

Also at Monday night's meeting, trustees received an update on projected bids for the high school construction, indicating they would like to get bids for steel soon as costs are climbing rapidly.

It was noted that a number of subcontractors are showing interest in aspects of the project, and that the more competition there is, the more competitive the bids should be.

Building the new high school is expected to take 18 to 20 months, but trustees want to see it completed in 16 or 17 months to be ready for the planned August 2009 opening.

Trustees also were told that a sign indicating the site of the new Kempner-area elementary school will be up this week.

In other business, Superintendent Dr. Brant Myers discussed voluntary annexation of the new elementary school campus into the city of Copperas Cove to provide for quick access to emergency services when needed.

Big Divide Road already has been annexed into Copperas Cove's city limits, explained Myers, and administrators said the long response time from Lampasas emergency personnel could be detrimental when services are needed quickly.

"We have a great fire department and other response teams, but they are too far away to get where they need to go quickly. This makes sense because emergency personnel could be there in as little as three to five minutes. I can't see anything negative about this."

Myers said the board should consider the annexation, and it will be voted on in an upcoming meeting. Copperas Cove personnel are willing to work with Lampasas ISD officials, he said. And Lampasas City Manager Michael Stoldt agreed it is a positive move for the school district.

Board members then approved the 2008-09 school calendar with a start date of Aug. 25, and completion of the term on May 28.

The calendar provides the required 177 student instruction days, with 10 additional staff development days.

Briggs said he is concerned about classes being held Nov. 11 on Veterans Day.

"We have lots of military families in our district, and if we have to have school that day, I hope every campus has a meaningful Veterans Day program. Otherwise, we need to be off."

The LISD site-based committee reviewed and approved the calendar.

In his report, Myers noted the district's enrollment was 3,418 on Jan. 28, which reflects an attendance rate of about 95 percent. He said it is still unclear what role an expected addition of military troops to Fort Hood will play in Lampasas' enrollment. "We could see a lot more students when that happens. From what I hear, they are supposed to come in May."

And before adjourning, trustees approved the superintendent's recommendation that two-year contracts be extended an additional year through the 2009-2010 school year for the following administrators:

LISD administration -- Nelda Fortune, assistant superintendent for instruction and curriculum; Shane Jones, business manager; Joey McQueen, athletic director; Dick Parker, truancy officer; Darla Peter, director of special education; and Tony Peter, assistant superintendent for personnel and student services.

Lampasas High School -- Brandon Stiewig, principal; and Jani Edwards and Mark Kehoe, assistant principals.

Lampasas Middle School -- Dwain Brock, principal; and Dana Holcomb, assistant principal.

Hanna Springs Intermediate -- Nancy Yeary, principal; and Russell Merket, assistant principal.

Kline Whitis Elementary -- Mitzi Stripling, principal.

The one-year contract of David Bohannon, vocational director, was extended to cover the 2008-09 school year.

And two-year contracts through 2009-10 were approved for Dara Tate, assistant principal, Kline Whitis; and Duane Young, assistant high school principal. Both are on a one-year probationary contract.