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CLAYSBURG -- Claysburg-Kimmel School Board members recently approved 10 change orders for its athletic facilities.
"With our stadium, we discovered additional work that needed to be done," Superintendent Mark Loucks said.
These included $11,950 for the bleachers and play clock, $11,300 for dugout power, $11,600 to put electricity in a storage building, $28,000 for basketball court lights, $20,280, $10,902 and $15,378 to provide internet capabilities to different areas of the stadium such as the press box, and $75,390 for stadium sound from Mashan Inc.; and $47,232 for embankment remediation, $16,307 for a batting cage pad and $20,000 for its installation, and $14,040 for a batting cage from Force Turf.
He said the changes are all things that were recommended by engineers as they worked on the stadium.
During Wednesday's work session, athletic director Brian Helsel brought up a recommendation for the board to review how much the district pays sports officials.
"I have a few upset officials in terms of softball and baseball because our pay is lower than some other schools," he said.
Helsel thought it was something the district needed to address. It has caused a shortage of officials for multiple games.
Board President Richard Gergely said he was familiar with the officiating side and has seen more people leaving because of the money.
He understands for those who choose to officiate Claysburg games, there is a cost to get there and it costs them their time.
"A lot of us do it for the kids, but at the end of the day, some people look to officiating as another means of income for their families," Gergely said.
He said most school districts are raising their payments and he has no problem paying an official what they are worth.
"Pay them $100, I don't care, but I do care about the quality of the officials that come through," Gergely said.
He said that if the district pays their officials more, more people will want to work at Claysburg sporting events.
Loucks said the school district is also considering adding an equestrian program.
"The idea was proposed to have kids working with horses and give them chances to be around them," he said.
Loucks is not sure how the program will work with the district, but officials would consider the possibility.
Business Manager Dena Burket recommended that Claysburg-Kimmel look into hiring a person for a technology position.
Jim Butler resigned from the CTC Computer Consortium and Deb Henry will be retiring in late 2024.
"Jim did a lot for us technology-wise, and Deb Henry is retiring not before too long, so the consortium is going to dissolve," she said.
The CTC Computer Consortium has supported Claysburg, Hollidaysburg and Bellwood-Antis districts with Infinite Campus services, and other data services.
Hollidaysburg will be withdrawing from the consortium by the end of the year and has started advertising for an in-house technology position.
Burket said Claysburg is currently paying $24,000 quarterly for the consortium. Having someone in house to do the same job will save the district money.
Burket and other board members recommended that the district begin creating a job description and begin searching for its own in-house technology person before Henry retires.
Loucks said the budget is in the process of being put together.
"We put together a budget that is reasonable, doable, and benefits the district," he said.
Burket said the state came out with its initial budget, but there is no guarantee the district is going to get that much.
"We were conservative, in case they didn't get what the state initially said they would, " she said.
Burket said she has a budget presentation ready to go but there are some changes that need to be made before it is officially presented to the board.
There is no set day to present the budget, but she said it could possibly be during April's regular school board meeting.
Mirror Staff Writer Cati Keith is at 814-946-7535.