The second phase of the Jefferson City School District's high school projects may include private donors to build comparable practice and competition outdoor facilities, Superintendent Larry Linthacum said Friday.
During Linthacum's monthly community coffee event, the idea of private funds was briefly discussed regarding plans for constructing outdoor facilities at Jefferson City High School.
"(We're) looking at a potential campaign for folks to raise money to help with that," Linthacum said. "We are not planning on going to the voters again and asking them to do that for us."
Phase two plans for competition space at JCHS and Capital City High School. The district's two high schools are currently sharing competition facilities.
A nine-member outdoor facility focus group has discussed the outdoor facilities.
In June, owners of tornado-damaged properties in the area around JCHS reached out to the district to discuss interest in purchasing homes.
The district has purchased more than 30 properties in an area bounded by Stadium Boulevard, Jackson Street, Oberman Place and Adams Street near Adkins Stadium. A majority of the acquired homes are in the 400 block of Union Street and 400 block of Case Avenue.
In October, the Board of Education approved $2 million for property acquisition. It will be paid from a one-time, $2.4 million increase in revenue from county stock insurance, Jason Hoffman, JC Schools chief financial and operating officer, previously said. County stock insurance is tax revenue the district receives once a year from insurance premiums paid by companies that are legal residents of the state, he said.
Those funds could be used to demolish properties, Hoffman previously said.
The Architects Alliance has begun drafting what competition facilities could look like near JCHS and CCHS, Linthacum said Friday.
CCHS opened in August with ready-to-use soccer, track and football practice areas. Tennis courts will be ready for competition by spring, Linthacum said.
The baseball and softball field at CCHS will be for practice only, with a plan for competition-ready space in phase two, he said.
Competition spaces include bleacher space to host tournaments, multiple tennis courts and restrooms, Gampher said.
"We're always studying the long-range design which is competition fields," he said.
At JCHS, Adkins Stadium hosts football and track events. Baseball, softball, soccer and tennis use off-campus facilities at 179 Soccer Field, Vivion Field, Ellis-Porter Riverside Park and Washington Park to practice.
Phase two would include competition-ready space for those sports on site, Linthacum said.
"Phase two is that all outdoor facilities at JC will be competition ready to match CC," Linthacum said.
No decision has been made regarding when phase two will begin at either high school, Linthacum said. Having one school be completed ahead of the other is not the goal, he said.
The district's priority is addressing K-8 space needs first, he said.
No details on a potential fundraising campaign have been discussed, said Brenda Hatfield, director of quality improvement and a member of the outdoor facilities focus group.
"If we're not going to put it on a bond issue, there might be a way that we could do private donors and see if people wanted to give money," Hatfield said. "That's been the whole discussion."
The Jefferson City Historic Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 320 E. McCarty St., for five homes JC Schools has acquired that require demolition clearance. Those homes are more than 100 years old. Another 12 homes less than 100 years old are set for demolition review.
The Historic Preservation Commission has final approval on demolitions older than 100 years old. The committee will make a recommendation to city staff regarding homes being considered for demolition.
Having fields on-site for both high schools would eliminate unwanted visitors that are out of the district's control, JC Schools Communications Director Ryan Burns said.
During a girl's tennis match at Washington Park, school board President Lorelei Schwartz assisted a student who noticed suspicious activity in the park restrooms, Schwartz said.
Jefferson City Parks and Recreation had not heard of the incident, which is not unusual since law enforcement officials are often notified first, said Aaron Grefrath, assistant director of programs for the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department.
At the Friday event, The Architects Alliance Principal Architect Cary Gampher gave an update on the finishing touches and monthly costs for the JCHS and CCHS projects.
Last month, $1.8 million was spent on work at JCHS, and $675,000 was spent on work at CCHS, Gampher said.
The projects were budgeted at about $141.5 million. In August, the projects were about $1 million under budget, Hoffman previously said.
Classrooms at both schools were completed ahead of schedule but remain unoccupied, he said.
"The contractor has been turning that work over as they finish it," Gampher said. "This is actually, on paper, ahead of schedule. There are things at both schools that have been completed ahead of time."
The connector between JCHS and Nichols Career Center, a new practice gym, storm shelter and media center will be completed over the holiday season, Gampher said.
At CCHS, finishing touches are being done at the fine arts rooms, gym and support spaces including the counseling suite opposite the administration suite.
Secure entrances will be at the front of suites, which include office space for staff. The counseling suite will better serve students preparing for their future, Gampher said.
"It's like a miniature career center," he said.
An official ribbon-cutting and open house for the high schools is scheduled Jan. 12.