Commissioners balk but approve funds to build new football stadium
By Dwight Otwell Editor

New home and visitor's stands will be constructed at Murphy High School, with the completion date set to go right down to the wire for the opening home football game.

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Monday approved the nearly half million dollar project, which includes demolishing the old, unsafe, concrete stands on the home side and building a new concrete stadium.

Construction can begin almost immediately and will have to in order to be completed by the first Murphy Bulldog home game, which is slated for early September.

Cherokee County Schools Facilities/Finance Director Terelle Beaver said the contractor has given 120 days for tearing down the old stadium and building a new one. It is estimated that the stadium will be completed by the end of August, Beaver said.

Commissioner Dana Jones at first balked about approving the stadium before money for new classrooms at Ranger Elementary are approved.

"The school board gave presentations over each of the last three years about the need for classrooms at Ranger and you sold me," Jones said.

He said he believes classrooms should take precedent over a new stadium.

"I have no objection to Murphy High School having a new stadium" Jones said. "But our priorities are getting behind. Maybe we should do this over a two or three-year period. They need a gym at Marble (Elementary) and a track at Hiwassee Dam (High School)."

Commissioner David Sumpter said he is in favor of approving the stadium at Murphy High but he doesn't want to do it at the expense of other programs.

Beaver showed the commissioners pictures of the stadium and said a structural engineer's report states that the stadium needs to be torn down and replaced.

"I implore you to allow us to go ahead with this project," said Superintendent of Schools Jeanette Hedrick. "It is dangerous. It is an accident waiting to happen. We are asking you to help us address this safety issue."

Murphy football Coach David Gentry said his teams have played all over the Southeast and Murphy has the worst football facility he has seen.

"We have the worst facility in this conference and the worst in western North Carolina that I know of. It is one of the best programs but the worst facility."

Sue Lynn Ledford, director of Safe Schools-Healthy Student, said the present concrete stadium is a major violation of the building code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. She said it is a safety issue.

"Right now, one lawsuit would be more than the cost of a new stadium. Annually, I've taken care of victims that have fallen (on the steps). There are enough violations now to close the thing."

Rick Edwards, pastor of Murphy First Baptist Church, asked the board of commissioners to respect the leadership of the school board in their request for a new stadium.

"The athletic facilities at Murphy High School are the worst in the state," he said.

Beaver noted that the school system has $255,000 built up and available in the Public School Building Capital Fund that can be used for the stadium. The commissioners previously approved $175,000 from a half cent sales tax from the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 school years to be used for the new stadium. Another $42,900 will be used from the sales tax from the 2006/2007 tax year.

Sumpter said the safety issue of the old stadium was the primary reason for his motion to approve funds for construction of the stadium.

The board of commissioners and the school board will reportedly meet to see how to use the portion of sales tax that is allotted for the school system to use.