GBHS field house not on school board priority list
BY VICI PAPAJOHN Gulf Breeze News vici@gulfbreezenews.com

A Capital Outlay Project Priority List was included in the Santa Rosa School District's tentative budget, presented at the July 20 meeting. Some items for Gulf Breeze schools include carpet, ceiling and light replacement at Gulf Breeze High School (GBHS) and the painting of railings, walkways and outside doors as well as fencing and repairs to Gulf Breeze Middle School. However, one project not on the list is the GBHS field house, practice and playing fields that have been a top priority for local athletes, coaches, parents and administrators for years. According to Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Steve Ratliff, part three of the budget is not settled and issues such as the field house could be addressed at tonight's board meeting at 6:30 p.m. in Milton.

"It really won't be settled until the final budget approval in September. We do have a lot of money problems due to hurricanes and due to class-size amendment requirements, so I don't know which way this will go," said Ratliff.

Ratliff detailed "uncovered" hurricane-related expenditures totaling more than $8 million and millions of dollars in portables and related expenses required by the Class Size Amendment as the real drains on the budget, not unfair spending within the county.

"The rumors of a new library and a new gym at Pace High School are probably people confusing the facts," Ratliff explains. "The county is building a new gym, or rec center, and they are also building a new county library in Pace. Pace High had the worst damage from Hurricane Dennis, and they needed repairs, but they did not get a new gym and they did not get a new library. We are definitely working on the fields and field house issue $25,000 was budgeted last year for irrigation of the fields and $11,744.87 has been rolled into next year."

Former president of the Gulf Breeze High School Quarterback Club (GBHSQC) Mark Denunzio said it's not the responsibility of the GBHSQC to use its funds for capital improvements.

"I was president in 2003 and [the club] faced ongoing (field and field house) problems. We don't have the resources to make these facilities a safe environment," said Denunzio. GBHSQC purchased new lockers for the field house last spring using their own funds. According to Denunzio, funds raised by the club go towards providing dinners for the football team, transportation to games and for the past several years, the club has sought the advice of a lawn service on how to mitigate the needed attention to the playing and practice fields.

"We've paid them to counsel us on what steps need be taken to improve the playing fields to a usable condition for football and soccer," said Denunzio.

"We spent $400,000 more on the new press box and concession stand last year than insurance or FEMA are willing to repay," Ratliff explains. "I have four people working trying to get he money back. And we have also spent close to $2 million each on the Gulf

Breeze Elementary School and High School expansions. If we can avoid more storms, we'll be clear and we'll work on major projects like the new cafeteria for GBES. Mr. Amspacher has been asked to do a feasibility study on expansion of the Field House and he'll produce a tentative cost budget. The Field House is in the Superintendent's hands now."