DAPHNE – The Daphne City Council will provide about half the money needed for a synthetic turf field at Daphne High School, but one member said that money could be better spent on other projects.
The council voted 5-1, with one abstention, to allocate $575,000 to help pay for the new turf at the Daphne High football stadium. Council President Doug Goodlin, an ROTC instructor at DHS, abstained.
Councilman Steve Olin voted against the ordinance.
“The city of Daphne has supported and will continue to support Daphne High School and all the public schools in Daphne, but this appropriation is not in my opinion right priority for the city's funds,” Olen said.
He said the city already pays about $95,000 a year to help pay coaching costs at DHS, maintain the field and provide other services. Combined with other costs, such as $250,000 a year for school resource officers at all Daphne public schools, Olen said the city is paying about $500,000 a year to help schools in the city.
He said the additional $575,000 for the field could be put to better uses around the city.
“I just think that the city's priorities should take precedence over the synthetic field at the high school, those being spending this money on the city's own parks and recreation facilities or road paving or more new sidewalks for all of the city,” Olen said.
Mayor Robin LeJeune said the new turf will save Daphne about $300,000 in maintenance costs over the life of the field. He said the field will also be a benefit for residents as well as students.
Under the agreement between the city and school system, residents can use the field and stadium for recreational activities at times when the school is not using the facility.
“Daphne High School and the Baldwin County Board of Education have been working with the city and doing activities and events at the stadium,” LeJeune said. “The issue a lot of times comes up with the stadium is the turf field is trying to protect the field and you're not able to have a lot of events on the field just due to our lack of being able to maintain that field to the best of its ability. I do believe that we're all in agreement that with this new turf field. It's going to actually make it a lot more accessible for our citizens and for events to happen out there and I know that the school wants us to be part of that and wants to have those events and show off our facilities.”
Under the agreement, Daphne High School educators and supporters will raise the rest of the money needed for the $1.2-million project. Goodlin said Principal John Comer and Athletic Director Kenny King are working to raise the funds.
“He’s planning on raising money to make up the other half of the money that’s required for that, so good luck with that and the citizens of Daphne are behind you in what you’re trying to do,” Goodlin said to Comer at the meeting.
