CCISD trustees approve more than $650,000 in campus improvements
Fri, 2016-10-14 05:00
News Staff
By DAVID J. HARDIN
Cove Leader-Press
At Tuesday night’s Copperas Cove Independent School District board of trustees meeting, the board approved budgeted purchases totaling $651,788.32, for replacements, upgrades and improvements at its campuses.
The board approved a $115,200 purchase from Musco Lights for installation of new lights for the Copperas Cove High School practice field. The current lighting system consists of lamps that were taken from Bulldawg Stadium and in the early 2000s only have half of the practice field was lit. Now with this new lighting system the entire field will have ample lighting and be more efficient.
Lea Ledger Auditorium will be receiving new LED lights from Barbizon Lights in the amount of $43,706. The new light will be more efficient and will be much cooler than the present 500-watt halogen lights.
The district is also purchasing a new forklift from Briggs Equipment for $24,985 for the CCISD warehouse.
$39,510 was approved to purchase and install new scoreboards at the Copperas Cove High School Softball Field, S.C. Lee Junior High School Hanke Stadium, and the S.C. Lee Junior High School Gym from Olen Williams, Inc. The current scoreboard at the softball field is outdated and has been there since 1999, and continually has to be repaired, and the scoreboards at Hanke Stadium and S.C. Lee Gym are more than 30 years old.
The Copperas Cove High School tennis courts will receive shade covers for $36,710.32, purchased from and installed by PTI Sports and Construction. There are many tennis tournaments held during the hottest days of the year in Copperas Cove, and there is little to no shade for fans and players when watching matches.
Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy will be receving a new playground that is better-sized for three and four year olds. The $74,177 purchase is being made from Playground, Shade & Surfacing Depot LLC. The new playground will fit 60 students and is ADA compliant.
Martin Walker Elementary, Halstead Elementary Clements/Parsons Elementary, Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary, House Creek Elementary, Williams Ledger Elementary, Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy, Crossroads High, Copperas Cove Junior High, and S.C Lee Junior High School will all be receiving LED marquee signs with a total purchase price of $317,500 from Robson Corporation.
The board also approved two out of state trips, the first of which is for Jack Welch, Tracy Welch, Tracy Ranes to attend the American Football Coaches Association Conference, Jan. 8-11, 2017. Reb Brock will attend the National Strength and Conditioning Association Coaches Conference Jan. 5-7, 2017. Both conferences will be held in Nashville, Tenn.
The board also hired Heidi Nelson as Grant Project Director for CCISD to administrate the DoDea Grant that CCISD received, with funding for that position coming from the grant.
The trustees selected LMC Corporation to complete the Installation of a security fence at Copperas Cove Junior High School and Copperas Cove High School at a cost of $56,763.89.
CCISD superintendent Joe Burns recognized Steven Schwausch, who is retiring after 27 years as head of maintenance of CCISD. Burns recommended to the board that the position be consolidated to oversee both maintenance and transportation for CCISD, and recommended that Hugh Elliot fill that position.
At the start of the meeting, principals were recognized with October 2016 being Principal Appreciation Month, with Copperas Cove Mayor Frank Seffrood present to read a proclamation, which he presented to each of the principals. Following the presentation by Seffrood, Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce President Sean Corrigan likewise presented all of the principals with a certificate of recognition.
CCISD students Brice Garcia, Mallory Castro, and Angelica Tibbit were all recognized as winners of the City Park mural contest, sponsored by the Five Hills Art Guild.
The district also recognized local media outlets which were nominated by CCISD for the Texas Association of School Boards Media Award for Outstanding coverage. The awards were presented to Nia Harden from KWTX News Channel 10, David Bryant, of the Killeen Daily Herald Newspaper, and Lynette Sowell and David Morris of the Copperas Cove Leader-Press.