Approved at Monday at board of education meeting

SOUTH POINT — The South Point Board of Education approved a contract on Monday to install synthetic turf at the fields for the high and middle schools.

The board voted at the monthly meeting to approve the contract for $596,163 from The Motz Group to install the turf on the softball and baseball infields and to renovate the natural surface on the baseball outfield.

Superintendent Mark Christian said the contract would include an 8-year warranty on the turf, as well as site work.

Christian said the contract would include “extra things,” such as adding curbing so that weeds will not grow along the fence.

Work would be set for the fall and he said the contract would be paid for with money allocated for building funds and that the synthetic turf would be a good investment.

“If it’s there for 15 years, we can break even or save money,” he said, comparing the costs to the maintenance of natural grass.

He said the only other school district in the county to use this turf is Rock Hill and that he had spoken with their superintendent, Wes Hairston, about its benefits.

In other business, the board:

• Approved June minutes and financial report

• Approved student fees and lunch prices for the coming school year. Lunch fees were raised from $2.25 to $2.50, which Christian said was in compliance with federal guidelines.

• Accepted the retirement of a bus driver for the district

• Approved the hiring of an English Language Arts Teacher for the middle school and a teacher’s aide for the high school.

• Discussed a grievance in executive session.