The damage occurred sometime after 4 p.m. April 27, when an EF-5 tornado struck the East Limestone community. The storm bent the football field light poles and damaged the football field restrooms on the visitor’s side and nearly demolished the fencing, lights, dugouts and batting facility on the baseball/softball field. School officials had hoped to fix all of the problems sooner.
“We thought we could get the football field poles bid and corrected prior to the beginning of football season,” Superintendent Dr. Barry Carroll said in July. “We could not, therefore, we corrected the lights only so they will shine on the field and will address the football field poles when we address the softball/baseball field poles, lights and fences.”
Repairs will be done in two phases.
Phase 1, which should be completed in early February 2012 in time for baseball and softball season, will include repairing dugouts, lighting, fencing and restrooms, he said. Work on the first phase could start in November if officials get the emergency declaration from the building commission.
Phase II, will include new lights at the stadium, which were installed new just five or six years ago.
Limestone County Schools Maintenance Director Steve Wallace said the schools would replace what the insurance agrees to replace.
Carroll said the schools are “trying to put the facilities back as good as it was but without costing (the school system).”
He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would help cover what insurance does not cover.
Workers would be under a tight deadline to complete the repairs before the start of baseball/softball season.
“Everything is going to have to fall in place perfectly for it to work,” said board president Earl Glaze.
There is no contingency plan in place if the work is not finished.
Baseball coach Bill Tribble told board members Athens High School baseball coach Thad Prater “has been great” in trying to find a way for East to use its field for a few games but there was no way to play all of them there. Booster Club president Tribble said there were no other fields available.
Board member Charles Shoulders wondered if the team could simply schedule all away games, but Tribble said the team relies on proceeds generated from home games. He said he hosts a preseason tournament that generates $4,000 to $5,000, which pays for equipment, officials and other costs. The team also relies on proceeds from the sale of concessions, he said.
Tribble said the softball team is in a lot better place because it can rent a field elsewhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment