Portable classrooms mean moving McFarland football field

At the request of the Othello School Board, Othello School district officials will research the possibility of permanently moving the football field at McFarland Middle School.

The football field has to be moved due to the need to locate one, and eventually two, portable classrooms on the existing football field. Cost was estimated between $13,500 and $18,500 and included purchasing portable football goalposts and portable soccer goals, since the new football field would take up soccer field space.

The estimate also included the cost of moving the football field scoreboard, but assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said district officials have decided that probably won’t be necessary.

The soccer field would be relocated to the district-owned playfield behind Scootney Springs Elementary during the spring season. Bullis said that with the football field relocation, the baseball field already claims the only space left for soccer.

Board member Tony Ashton asked about the field between Lutacaga Elementary and McFarland. Bullis said district officials had looked at that for a soccer field, but the ground wasn’t suitable.

Ashton said he was thinking of it as a permanent replacement for the football field. “Those portables are pretty much there for the foreseeable future, right?” Ashton asked.

“They’re leased, but they’re there until we have a new facility built and ready to move into,” Bullis said.

Board member Stewart Hilmes said the location probably was big enough for a football field, but might require some ground preparation. Ashton said the investment might be worth it, to find a permanent location.

Two portables already are in use at McFarland, parked in a former parking lot. Board member Rob Simmons and Ashton asked about moving those portables to the football field. But, Simmons said, he was concerned about the estimated $70,000 cost.

Bullis said district officials had contacted the same company that moved the portables from Hiawatha Elementary last summer. The company based its estimates on disassembling and reassembling the buildings, she said.

Ashton said he was concerned about the cost too, and had contacted other companies. There might be options to move them for considerably less cost, he said. Simmons said he’s talked to district patrons who want the parking back, but they might not be willing to pay $70,000 for it. “I know that for me, $70,000 doesn’t work,” Ashton said.

In other business at the regular meeting Monday, Bullis announced the proposal to build new tennis courts at Othello HIgh School will go out for bid June 21, with the bids opened July 6.

The board members presented a plaque to recently graduated senior Kiera Stensall, who served two years as the board’s student representative.