Administrator’s Corner by Mike Funk

Recently, Albert Lea Area Schools conducted an online community engagement through a tool called ThoughtExchange. In this discussion, we asked community members for feedback on the condition of our athletic facilities in the Albert Lea community. We also asked the community for any questions they had about our facility’s needs. The results of the discussion can be viewed online at albertlea.k12.mn.thoughtexchange.com/card-welcome/welcome-4/.

The overwhelming response from the 319 participants in the online forum was a need to update the facilities at Hammer Athletic Complex. The condition of the fieldhouse and lack of toilets at the stadium were major concerns identified. The condition of the varsity softball field was another issue that was raised repeatedly. In addition to Hammer Complex, another theme that was discussed was the lack of gym space in the community for winter events.

I would like to take the opportunity to address some of the questions that were raised from the forum, as well.

What is the-long term plan? We are working on a plan for a facility upgrade to meet the needs of our student-athletes for the next 50 years. The Hammer stadium was completed in the 1960s, when only one sport used the facility. We now have multiple sports with both boys’ and girls’ teams utilizing it.

How can the city and school share the expense of the facilities? We currently have an agreement with the city to rent ice space at the city-owned arena, and play baseball at Hayek Field. The facilities upgrade we are looking at for Hammer Complex would be a district-only expense. We have discussed the possibility of sharing other fields such as soccer, and will continue those discussions with the city.

How will we fund this update? The local community would have to approve a building bond for any new facilities in an election. The district administration is examining solutions to minimize any taxpayer impact by timing the sale of bonds. We have a track record of doing this effectively. Two years ago we completed a $16 million upgrade to our HVAC facilities in six buildings with virtually no increase to local taxes. We anticipate doing something similar for this project.

What is the time frame for updates to be implemented? The district has asked for community membership on a facilities task force. We will seek input from this group on plans, and begin discussions with the wider community over the next few months. Based upon community feedback, we will decide on the timing of an election for approval of facilities funding.

Mike Funk is the superintendent of Albert Lea Area Schools.