If the facts are correct regarding the KERA funding then they are most certainly robbing all other districts in the state. There are too many other schools not getting the funding they need for their crumbling infrastructures. Sports complexes should never be funded with these dollars. If they have no use for the dollars for educational purposes they should be returned to the state.

Please don't start about KERA funding or we in the mountains will have to bring up the "golden triangle's" thievery of our coal severance tax dollars for decades.

Looking good!

If the facts are correct regarding the KERA funding then they are most certainly robbing all other districts in the state. There are too many other schools not getting the funding they need for their crumbling infrastructures. Sports complexes should never be funded with these dollars. If they have no use for the dollars for educational purposes they should be returned to the state.

 

Do you really think that Johnson County should return the money to the state simply because they have been a fiscally responsible school district?

 

Let me get this straight. If Johnson County had been irresponsible with the money they had before receiving KERA money, building the complex with that money while leaving the educational needs of the students unmet, and had used the KERA money for educational purposes...that would have been acceptable. But since the KERA money was available and not needed to fund education, it should be returned?

 

That sounds like something straight out of the Communist Manifesto. "From each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs."

 

Johnson County is in no way "robbing" other school districts but using the money given to them by the state. That is an ascenine and uninformed statement.

Great looking facilities. Hats off to the folks that made it happen.

That's a great looking field, everyone should be proud to play on it.

Looks Great

Great looking facilities. Hats off to the folks that made it happen.

 

 

Same here. Very Very nice!

Hopefully I can get some pictures on here tomorrow.

 

Secondly, the intial costs of a field like this is high, but over a period of about 7 years the costs are made up because maintenence is greatly reduced. Financially, a school board could take a loan over a 10 year period to pay the initial costs, and still come out better than you would have a natural grass field.

 

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A turf and construction would run from $400k to $500k assuming no stands or other improvements are required.

 

That's $40k to $50k per year (assuming there is a 10 year life which I have not heard one way or the other). JC spends $40k to $50k per year on field maintenance?

Don't think you will have to sell a single brat! My understanding is KERA is playing a major role in the funding of this sports complex. Maybe not entirely, but perhaps in the 75 - 80% range.

 

Look- the field looks great. It's state of the art in my opinion. Our Kentucky neighbors deserve a quality sporting complex. However, and I realize I may be lighting the powder keg and that is not my intentions here, but I just do not think that building a college quality sports complex with KERA funding is what the politicians had in mind when KERA was formulated years ago. IMO, KERA was intended to bring up the quality of instructional education in Kentucky to the level of the more affluent communities. And by the way, I am all for that concept. I just have to question the funding of sports complexes for high school, middle school and now junior league football with tax money from other communities that are truely struggling to house students in decent school structures.

 

Just one man's my opinion. Congrats to the kids and coaches of Johnson Central. A state of the art complex that will be enjoyed for many years to come...:thumb:

 

Agree 100%. I an uncomfortable with the use of KERA money, if indeed true, for turf fields UNLESS it can be proven that the district is actually saving money by making this investment.

A turf and construction would run from $400k to $500k assuming no stands or other improvements are required.

 

That's $40k to $50k per year (assuming there is a 10 year life which I have not heard one way or the other). JC spends $40k to $50k per year on field maintenance?

 

Most estimates are in the 10 to 15 year range for the new synthetic turf fields. I know Field Turf gives a full warranty for 8 years, but the life expectancy goes beyond that.

 

If you look at labor, equipment, gas, water, fertilizer, re-seeding, paint, etc., then it is very possible to spend that much per year on a grass field. Couple that with less injuries and the multiplicity of use for all teams and all conditions and it is very feasible now to go with synthetic turf.

 

And the field would be available to rent out for other teams/schools/leagues when their own fields are unplayable and that reduces the financial impact further.

Most estimates are in the 10 to 15 year range for the new synthetic turf fields. I know Field Turf gives a full warranty for 8 years, but the life expectancy goes beyond that.

 

If you look at labor, equipment, gas, water, fertilizer, re-seeding, paint, etc., then it is very possible to spend that much per year on a grass field. Couple that with less injuries and the multiplicity of use for all teams and all conditions and it is very feasible now to go with synthetic turf.

 

And the field would be available to rent out for other teams/schools/leagues when their own fields are unplayable and that reduces the financial impact further.

 

Any idea how much JC might spend on labor per year on a grass field? Secondly, is that labor expense already accounted for in the school system's budget? IF so, what happens to those people?

Silver Streaker, Johnson Co has a considerable tax base and only one high school. They are not robbing you of any ammenities by building a new sports complex. And if you are barking about inequities in school funding, I invite you to take a look at coal severance taxes and the statewide exodus of them out of the EKY and WKY communities where they are generated. It far outweighs the perception that the NKY and other affluent communities are subsidising school funding for the state's less fortunate districts (of which Johnson County is not), at least in coal producing communities.

 

The perception of many who travel around the state of Kentucky for business purposes or for the pleasure of watching highschool sports is that the county schools are nothing short of country clubs. The feeling by many is that the county schools have more $ than they know what to do with. And if they do not spend it, their funding from the state is slashed. I have'nt seen any pictures of Johnson Central - but I have a feeling that it is a brand new ultra modern state of the art facility. I will admit that I am clueless about the coal severance tax and its role towards school funding in the state school system. But some of the massive new schools that I see in my travels are not necessarily in the coal belt.

 

The city schools in Northern Kentucky as well as in other parts of the state are in very poor shape. The state school system rates the structures on a scale of 1 - 5 with a 5 being recommended for demolishing. The hamlet where I reside has at least one 5 rated elementary school and another that is rated a 4. In addition to raising taxes for our city schools, we had a public fund raising event to be able to make repairs and updates to our highschool.

 

If JC is not funded by KERA and KERA $$ is not being pumped into JC's sports complex, than I will eat crow. But my sources inform me that JC is moderately funded by the state educational funding formula. Please prove me wrong. By the way, if there is left over money, by all means send it to Northern Kenucky or you can write me a check...:thumb:

 

We all are in this thing together... I am just screaming for an equitable funding system for all schools so that all students get an opportunity to attend state of the art schools and the opportunity to enjoy sports on playing fields like JC.

The perception of many who travel around the state of Kentucky for business purposes or for the pleasure of watching highschool sports is that the county schools are nothing short of country clubs. The feeling by many is that the county schools have more $ than they know what to do with. And if they do not spend it, their funding from the state is slashed. I have'nt seen any pictures of Johnson Central - but I have a feeling that it is a brand new ultra modern state of the art facility. I will admit that I am clueless about the coal severance tax and its role towards school funding in the state school system. But some of the massive new schools that I see in my travels are not necessarily in the coal belt.

 

The city schools in Northern Kentucky as well as in other parts of the state are in very poor shape. The state school system rates the structures on a scale of 1 - 5 with a 5 being recommended for demolishing. The hamlet where I reside has at least one 5 rated elementary school and another that is rated a 4. In addition to raising taxes for our city schools, we had a public fund raising event to be able to make repairs and updates to our highschool.

 

If JC is not funded by KERA and KERA $$ is not being pumped into JC's sports complex, than I will eat crow. But my sources inform me that JC is moderately funded by the state educational funding formula. Please prove me wrong. By the way, if there is left over money, by all means send it to Northern Kenucky or you can write me a check...:thumb:

 

We all are in this thing together... I am just screaming for an equitable funding system for all schools so that all students get an opportunity to attend state of the art schools and the opportunity to enjoy sports on playing fields like JC.

 

Johnson Central is a very nice High School. However, it was built in the 1960s. The same facility has been in use since 1969. And, while improvements are made nearly every year, it is far from being ultra modern.

 

I believe that each school has a responsibility to the children of their own districts. They should not be held responsible for children in other districts. I believe it would be an injustice and grounds for dismissal if any school board member turned down money from the state.

Johnson Central is a very nice High School. However, it was built in the 1960s. The same facility has been in use since 1969. And, while improvements are made nearly every year, it is far from being ultra modern.

 

I believe that each school has a responsibility to the children of their own districts. They should not be held responsible for children in other districts. I believe it would be an injustice and grounds for dismissal if any school board member turned down money from the state.

 

Agree : ------ Agree with you 100%

100% disagree:------ Not if KERA money from the state is being spent in a wreckless manner, ie. junior football fields.