After some disagreement on whether the move would leave two high school programs with lesser baseball facilities, the Sioux City School board approved a lease agreement with Morningside University to use the East High baseball field.
That agreement will result in Morningside paying to install artificial turf on the East field, in exchange for the joint usage. The baseball fields at West and North High Schools do not have such artificial infield turf.
Community member Terry Kilberg said such a modern infield should be available at all high schools, just like when a few years ago outfield lights were added at all three.
The board approved the agreement on a 5-2 vote, with Treyla Lee and Earl Miller voting against the agreement.
Lee said all three high school baseball teams should have equally good fields, and Miller called it “a half-baked contract” with imprecise dollar estimates.
The lease would last for eight years and Morningside would pay an estimated $495,000 to install the infield. After $5,000 in initial repairs are made, future repairs will be split between Morningside University and East High School.
Board member Bobby Michaelson said it could cost $7.5 million to create six modern baseball and softball fields at all three schools, and the district doesn’t have that kind of money, so it makes sense to proceed with a good offer from Morningside University.
“I see this as a head start,” Michaelson said.
Responding to Lee’s question on whether he supports turfing at the other schools, Michaelson said, “You can only start in one place.Then you go to the second place, then you go to the third place.”
Board member Lance Ehmcke said those talks shows that district officials need an overarching discussion on future school improvements.
More than a dozen Sioux City baseball players, coaches and supporters were at the meeting.
There were two other sports facilities addressed in the meeting.
The board approved plans and design for $392,000 for repairs at the East and North track facilities. The second piece was approving $586,000 in plans for swimming pool upgrades at both West and North High.
The schools have aging pools, and almost half of the money is the result of fundraising.
