The end of one era came to a close, and a new one was launched, as the Jefferson City Public Schools Football Boosters Foundation announced a change of leadership Monday evening.
Established in 1989 to make improvements to the Jefferson City High School stadium, the foundation originally had four members: Phil Freeman, Chuck Weber, Pete Adkins and Mike Farmer.
Before he made the announcement that the group was stepping down, Freeman offered the school district a $50,000 check from the foundation.
"Hopefully it clears the bank ... if not, talk to Chuck Weber," he joked.
The $50,000 is the second-to-last payment of $100,000 the foundation agreed to pay to help cover cost overruns associated with building the football field and track in 2008. The remaining $50,000 is expected to be raised next spring, after the foundation's annual golf tournament is held.
Freeman said at the end of December, the foundation's original leaders will be replaced by Mike Burbank, Jason Jett and Joe Lopez.
All three men are former Jefferson City Jays football players, he said.
"We are anxious to turn it over to them. They have a lot more energy and I know they will continue to accomplish great things," Freeman said.
In his remarks to the Board of Education, Freeman took a walk down memory lane, reciting some of the contributions the foundation has made since he and Weber were first elected to the board of education in 1987 and since they first launched the foundation in 1989.
Freeman said in those early years, former Coach Adkins chided him to fix older locker rooms he felt were in "deplorable" condition. Not only were they unsafe and not ADA compliant, they didn't even offer separate changing rooms for boys' and girls' track athletes.
Although replacing the locker rooms was not a project he was able to finish during his time on the school board, it was something he was able to accomplish through his work with the football foundation, Freeman said.
Over the years, the foundation also built a new press box, constructed bleacher seats, replaced the football turf and installed a modern track. And they added advertising signs to both sides of the scoreboard, creating a new revenue stream to pay for improvements.
Board members Alan Mudd and John Ruth commended the outgoing foundation leaders for their service.
"I want to commend you and Chuck Weber. I've seen your wonderful work with the foundation," said Mudd, adding he appreciated the work the men had performed on behalf of the public schools. "You have big shoes to fill."
Ruth noted his was the first class to get to use the new facilities for all four years of high school.
"Boys became men, through the challenges of the summer program and in the weight room. Coach Adkins would say, that's where so many games are won and lost," he said.
Security vestibules move forward
Also on Monday the Board of Education approved a $120,000 contract with the firm, Architects Alliance, to design security vestibules at nine elementary buildings in the district. The vestibules will allow the district's buildings to remain locked throughout the school day, and slow down access to intruders if necessary.
Of the $120,000, about $90,000 will pay for the architectural work and $20,000 will cover the cost of engineering work.
Facilities director Bob Weber estimated the final total cost of the project at $2 million. He noted the district is planning to use a lease-purchase option to raise the remaining funds.
Under Missouri law, the board may enter into a lease-purchase agreement to finance capital facilities and major equipment purchases. Typically, a lease-purchase agreement allows for portions of lease payments to be used to pay for the property being constructed.
Several district schools - including the high school, Simonsen 9th Grade Center and both middle schools - already have the safer vestibules, Weber noted.
The security project will not delay the renovation of East Elementary School, which is still on schedule for the summer of 2015.
However, it will delay the renovation of Moreau Heights Elementary School. That project was scheduled for the summer of 2016, but is likely delayed by another year now, Weber said.
But he noted Moreau Heights has had some improvements recently. "We put in a new heating and cooling system about two or three years ago," he said.