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The Andalusia High School baseball field will see several improvements ahead of this year’s season.

The city’s Board of Education voted Monday to fund a project to construct a new concession as well as making repairs to the backstop.

Superintendent Ted Watson estimated the cost for the backstop to be in the area of $25,000 while the concession stands and bathroom facility could be between $130,000 to $150,000.

The City of Andalusia will assist by contributing some labor to the backstop project.

Board Member Amy Duggar requested the system look into additional repairs for the outfield fence.

“It looks bad. I think we just need to fix it,” Duggar said.

Some of that fencing was damaged in recent weather events, Watson said. “We will take a look at it and determine if it can be fixed or if it has to be replaced.”

He said the price to repair that fence would likely fall below the bid law and that insurance should help since it was damaged during a hurricane event.

A motion to move forward with the projects was approved unanimously.

The board also moved forward with other items related to facility improvements, including accepting funding from the Public Education Building Authority for additional lighting in the auditorium.

Another PEBA-funded project for metal coverings along areas of the stands at the football stadium was tabled until an updated price is obtained.

The board also approved to refinish the high school’s gymnasium floor at a cost of approximately $18,000.

In discussing the gym, Board Member Sammy Glover said it is important the system look into heating options for the boys’ locker room.

The following items were also discussed at the BOE meeting.

• Watson provided the board members with a policy manual addition regarding aiding and abetting sexual abuse. Board members will review the policy and could vote on the matter at the November board meeting.

• The board approved minutes from the Sept. 14, 6 p.m., meeting. Minutes from a meeting the same day at noon were held until the next meeting.

• School system Chief Financial Officer Katie Odom provided a report on August financial statements.

• It was announced that the school system is partnering with Kelly Education Services in hosting a career fair for teacher substitutes, cafeteria substitutes, special education substitutes and teacher assistant substitutes. The fair will be held Monday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the school system’s central office at 1201 CC Baker Avenue.

• Watson reported that the system is doing a good job in keeping positive cases of COVID-19 to a minimum so far this school year.

“This is directly tied to the great work of our nurses, administrators and teachers,” he said. “I’ve never been so proud of a group of teachers and their efforts.”

The superintendent and members of the board indicated that would like to consider ways to show their appreciation to the teachers for “going above and beyond.”

The next meeting of the Andalusia BOE will be Monday, Nov. 16, 6 p.m., at the AHS library.