By John Balch
News-Leader staff
The Dierks School Board voted last week to renovate Ayers Field in artificial turf and add new visitor bleachers with the $1 million T-Mobile sweepstakes prize money.
The decision was made during a special board meeting held on Jan. 14 and the measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Board Vice President Jeffrey Mounts took to social media following the meeting to announce and defend the decision to go with turf instead of a natural grass playing surface. He said “extensive research” by the Dierks Athletic Booster Club and the district’s coaching staff resulted in the switch and that the quoting process will begin immediately.
Mounts also posted that artificial turf is more expensive “on the front end” but several factors resulting in the decision including safety, ongoing maintenance, and multiples uses for a turf field.
The artificial surface will include a “shock pad” for added protection against injury and the district is looking for avoid an artificial option that does not involve a concrete base.
Mounts further posted that the artificial turf will have a warranty and “the upkeep is minimal compared to natural grass maintenance.” Replacing the turf is expected to be expensive in the future and will require the district to put back money with some funds expected to be raised through field logo sponsors and fundraisers, according to Mounts.
“Not putting concrete underneath would allow grass to be installed if wanted/needed at the of the turf’s useful life,” he added.
Board President Jaron Tipton also commented online about the decision and said replacing the artificial turf in “10-15 years from now” would cost around 40-50 percent of the initial installation costs.
“Accounting for inflation, we know that number may be a little higher, but we have a plan in place moving forward to prepare for that.”
Tipton added, “We knew this money wasn’t going to go as far as we needed it to do everything we would like to do. Ultimately, we feel like this is by far the best decision for all the kids in our district.”
The school district won $1 million stadium renovation along with a Gronk Fitness weight room renovation from former NFL all-pro high end Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski, who personally delivered the prize money to Dierks High School last November.
