County, school district team to build football concession stands

New concession stands and bathrooms are planned at local high school football fields, the result of a partnership between San Juan County and the San Juan School District.

San Juan County has forwarded $500,000 to the school district for the construction projects at Monticello, Whitehorse and Monument Valley high schools. The funds will be repaid by Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) forwarded to the county by the federal government.

A similar arrangement in 1993 allowed the school district to build a number of homes used to house district employees in Mexican Hat.

PILT funds replenished the original 1993 account and the balance has grown to exceed $1.6 million. The new arrangement results in the dissolution of the first agreement. San Juan County retains ownership of the fund balance.

Commissioners have pledged $250,000 from the original fund to assist in the construction of the recreation facility and wellness center proposed by the City of Blanding. The fund has also been used in the past to help fund medical coding programs at the College of Eastern Utah – San Juan Campus.

The City of Blanding, San Juan School District and a host of volunteers teamed together in recent years to build a concession stand and bathrooms at the San Juan High School football field. The project has resulted in a better experience for fans and the opportunity for school groups to raise funds at the concession stand. The San Juan project will be the rough model for the new construction.

The concession stand at Monument Valley High School will likely be useable for games both on the football field and the basketball court.

School officials are pleased with the arrangement. “This plan allows the district to meet the very real needs of the schools without using funds that we would rather use directly for the education of students,” said Superintendent Douglas Wright.

It is expected that the concession stands will be completed within the next year and will be ready for the 2009 football season.