Willows kills frosh sports
By Tim Crews
Valley Mirror Publisher

Willows — No more freshman sports program at Willows High School.

Willows Unified School District Business Manager Kevin Bultema argued that the program is too expensive given declining enrollment, noting that WUSD has suffered a 70-student average daily attendance (or ADA) loss since last year.

And Willows High Vice-Principal Jerry Smith detailed the problems of finding teams to play.

Cutting the program, however, was the only solid savings by elimination proposal put to the board.

Faced with a $500,000 shortfall — in these days long before legislative revise and other Sacramento trickery — Mr. Bultema proposed a handful of minor cuts. Freshman sports cut is surely fatal because the issue came up when it really is too late in the year to raise funds. There was no advance publicity.

The board clearly didn't enjoy voting to kill the program, funded as it is with small stipends and a few bus rides.

Trustee Susan Dominighini asked, “Is there something else that can be done right now?”

No one from the ranks of the administrators — the bulk of the audience — suggested either intramural or pickup league play.

What the decision means is that some students will be forced out of sports, perhaps at a crucial turn.

There was no major community contingent speaking on behalf of the program and the only person querying the board from the audience was a tubby reporter in his sixties, long gone from the fields of sport.

The board easily approved buying new student tracking software, a new readerboard, and approved the disposal of surplus property, including 50 Nextel phones.

The only bump in the administration’s long smooth road came when the board looked at the plan to move the WUSD offices to the community high school building at Laurel and Culver. The plan calls for no more than $40,000 in remodeling, savings in PG&E, water and Internet lines.

But the savings plan assumes that the district offices will be quickly rented at $600 pr month in a market that is quite soft.

The board balked because there were no plans, no drawings and no estimates.

They simply tabled the matter for more information.

Community High student Shawki Ali, in coat and tie, did give the administration and trustees something to think about. He noted the invasion of rats in the portable buildings and complained of some leaks.

While there is concern the in the office shuffle students might lose their weight room, there’s also concern that the building is strong enough for that use and perhaps the weights should be moved outside.

The Willows Community High School building was completed in 1997. The 2,783 square foot building, consisting of a small office and two classrooms, cost $822,237, or $295 a square foot in 1997 dollars. Now the plan is to convert one of those expensive classrooms to administrators’ offices.