More bang for your buck. That’s been the theme for the Track Committee ever since they took over the Wildcat Field of Pride project’s second phase of construction.

The committee met Monday night to review the track project plans, consider some cost-cutting changes and prepare for a follow-up meeting with the Cuba Board of Education later this month. The board will be making the final decisions on how the project moves forward.

Dave Workman, who serves on the Crawford County Foundation’s Track Committee, is serving as the general contractor who will oversee and coordinate the work. He gave committee members an update on where things stood with the project as of this week.

He said that a site has been selected for the ticket booth, but suggested cutting the size of the booth from 10 by 12 feet to 8 by 12 feet to avoid utility lines. He also recommended other changes that could reduce the overall cost of the project considerably. The most significant of the changes he made was to eliminate one of the two ticket booths and turn it into a semi-enclosed CHS sports wall of fame area.

Workman said one booth would be large enough to have two ticket windows and would bring the cost down considerably, saving from $4,000 to $5,000, while also requiring less maintenance. He said the exterior would appear the same.

For the entry gate, Workman said it would be more cost effective to remove stainless steel caps on the columns and use lighting fixtures instead. The glass block and stainless steel caps are very expensive, he reported.

The ticket booth, if built according to existing plans, can be done for about $35,000 (or $33,200 with some minor changes). Up to $5,000 in materials cost can be saved if the second ticket booth is eliminated.

The entrance gate can be built without stainless caps for only $6,500—which is far below the originally bid price of $22,000 at prevailing wage. Workman said changes should be made to the gate plans, because “you’re spending money I personally don’t think you should spend.”

Cheri Schuette, Cuba R-2 Board of Education president, said Workman had presented some good ideas and it was up to the board to decide what changes to the original plan should be implemented.

She asked Workman to bring his revised bid for the board’s original plans without changes, and then also provide the board with his recommended changes. “As much information as you can bring (about the project), I think you ought to,” she told Workman.

Superintendent Waymon Boast suggested bringing along a sketch for the board to see.

The school board meets Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 4 p.m. to discuss the issue.