USD 490, Butler Community College and the El Dorado City Commission reached a consensus to hire a consultant to do a feasibility study for either renovations to or a new football stadium for El Dorado.

Representatives from the three entities met Wednesday night to discuss the issue.

Jackie Vietti, president of Butler, said they wanted to at least explore the possibilities for a stadium. “Let's have some good conversation that is food for the mind,” she encouraged at the start of the meeting. “It's our belief we can accomplish far more working together than we can with isolated agendas.”

That is what the group did.

The discussion ranged from what would be needed in a new stadium to if one was needed at all.

There are several concerns with the current stadium, including the lack of compliance with ADA, inadequate restrooms and locker rooms, among other things.

While the issue obviously is important to the school and college, Mayor Tom McKibban said it was an important issue for the city as well.

This meeting follows after a feasibility study was completed in 2006.

Commissioner Linda Clark recalled a meeting a couple of years ago that she attended.

It was called by the 4-H Committee because they felt they were outgrowing their facility and wanted to be included.

“This has all kind of escalated to a big project,” she said.

It reached an amount at about $30 million.

“Are we downsizing to just the football field?” Clark asked. “Are you thinking about something for 4-H to expand?”

One thing everyone agreed on was that a figure anywhere near $30 million was too high.

As far as exactly what is needed - and wanted, Sue Givens, USD 490 superintendent, said that is why they wanted the feasibility study.

Vietti said they were looking at “where do we start in identifying the fundamental basic needs, at what cost and at what level of support from the community.”

That included identifying who the stakeholders would be in the project.

Chris Locke, school board member, said he felt that first proposal was much grander than what the 4-H group thought they could raise money to support.

Givens said they would get feedback from the 4-H, as well as the county.

Carter Zerbe, Butler Board of Trustees chair, said one of the plans he saw previously included a baseball field, so he recommended they talk with the El Dorado Recreation Commission.

Zerbe also wanted to get feedback from the county.

“I think we definitely need to get them if we are going to use taxpayer dollars,” he said.

One concern was raised that it would be paid for with tax dollars and that if it was important enough, funds could be raised for it.

Givens pointed out that currently Galen Blackmore Stadium is the school district's responsibility.

“We know we have to make an investment in that facility if we do nothing else,” she said.

McKibban did express a concern that he didn't want to end up with two football fields in town.

Givens agreed.

She said they are in a position of “liking the idea of not having more than one football field in town. We know our dollars will go farther if we can put them with someone else's.”

City Commissioner David Chapin asked if the consultant would also look at Blackmore.

Givens said the plan is to see what people want, and that could include renovating Blackmore.

Vietti added they they also should look at the needs from the coaches and athletic directors perspectives.

“The sooner we can activate the discovery process, the sooner we'll get a clearer sense of direction,” she said. “From the college perspective, we're going to begin to lose our competitive edge if we don't address our facilities issue.”

The question was raised if the county should have been at the meeting that night.

Ted Albright, Butler trustee, said he didn't think the county would have wanted to be there because they don't want their name associated with it yet.

Locke said he was in favor of the study.

“The school's got to do something,” he said.

He pointed out the traffic that Butler brings in to the community.

“I grew up here and we used to have nice facilities,” he said. “We used to be kind of out front 30 years ago and now we're kind of in the armpit.”

The discussion of renovating the current facilities also was brought up.

McKibban asked what all would be involved in fixing the current stadium.

Norm Wilks, USD 490 director of fiscal services, said it would include restroom and locker room facilities that are totally inadequate, handicap accessibility is non-existent, replacement of the visitor side bleachers and replacing poles for lighting. In addition, the score board needs updated, as well as the concession stands and parking. He said the press box also needs more space.

“There's a variety of needs in to the continued use of that as a football facility or track facility,” he said.

When looking at the track, they need to resurface it and because it is only seven lanes instead of eight, they can't host any Regional or District meets here.

“To expand it would necessitate moving the football field to the east because there is not enough room to add another lane,” he said.

Givens also said that this field was one of the hardest playing fields she has walked on, which raises safety concerns about the athletes for her.

“Our kids deserve better, they really do,” she said.

“What we're really saying is let's promote our community so it can grow,” Dankert said. “We need to improve a facility we can be proud of.”

McKibban continued along those thoughts.

“I see El Dorado on the verge of really taking a turn where we've been wanting to go for a long time,” he said.

McKibban thinks the town should reach 20,000 residents.

“To do that, we need to have the infrastructure,” he added

But City Commissioner Steve Pershall didn't agree with the necessity.

“The feasibility study of $5,000 concerns me,” he said. “I think everything that has come out now is too grandious. I think we need to keep it to the basics. I know what resources we really do have.

“If we can't pass bond issues for our basics for what the school district and college are here for, educating our students, this is a little too grandious, it won't fly.”

He felt they should renovate the current stadium.

“We need to do something in the next year or two,” Pershall said.

He wanted to know what the cost would be to rebuild Blackmore Stadium.

He also suggested looking at uncommitted sales tax dollars to help fund the the project, and he said when the private side saw something becoming a reality, they would get involved.

While Chapin agreed with Pershall on a few points, he didn't on others.

“I think all of us in this room are not going for the grandious super stadium,” Chapin said. “I'm definitely thinking we've got to keep within our budgets. We've got to keep within what the taxpayers will go with.”

He felt a feasibility study was the way to get started.

It was added that they should tell the consultant where they don't want to end up.

City Commissioner Steve Reynolds also liked the idea of a consultant.

He said they should be thinking 20 years out and not just renovate Blackmore Stadium for the short term.

McKibban agreed, stating that it was “ludicrous to spend $2 to $3 million on the stadium, then need a new one five years down the road.”

It also was agreed anything over $10 million would not be feasible.

The group gave its consensus to limit the project in scope and not make it a multi-faceted complex endeavor, rather just including the football stadium and track.

The original proposal called for the study to take five days, including two days to interview stakeholders, 1 1/2 days to synthesize comments and ideas and clarify key issues, one day for stakeholders to share ideas and half a day to set the next steps. The group agreed five days may not be long enough and opted to allow for up to 10 days at a cost of $5,000, plus travel expenses.

They are looking at a consultant from Nebraska that City Manager Herb Llewellyn knows.

“She is willing to do this for our organizations at a lower rate than she would normally charge,” Givens said.

The individual boards will each vote to enter into an agreement. The school board will vote on it Monday, while the college will meet Tuesday.