By Larry Coonrod
For Lebanon Local
If all goes according to plan, the Lebanon High School old basketball court will soon bear the name of local coaching legend Dave Winters.
At its Dec. 12 meeting the Lebanon Community School District School Board agreed to the proposal from the Lebanon Booster Club to name the facility in honor of Winters.
Winters taught at Lebanon High School starting in 1975 until his retirement in 2014. During his career he coached multiple generations of basketball players and has remained involved in Lebanon athletics since retiring.
“Basically, if there is something basketball-oriented happening at the high school, from practices to games to camps, you can usually find Dave Winters at the high school helping in some way,” Lebanon Superintendent Bo Yates told school board members.
Lebanon Booster Club President Doug Phillips said multiple people suggested to him that district should do something to honor Winters’ 44 years of service.
“The impact on thousands of people has been tremendous from Dave,” Phillips said. “I would be hard pressed to mention how many kids have mentioned Dave Winters as a role model.
Phillips coached basketball at the high school with Winters and played for the coach himself years ago.
“It would be an honor and represent our community in the best way if we would consider naming the court after Dave,” Phillips said.
The board will solicit public testimony from the community during two meetings early next year before voting on the issue.
In other business the school board:
♦ Reviewed proposed new district policies regarding reporting of child suspected child abuse, work place harassment, criminal record checks, weapons in the schools and student absences. The district already has policies addressing these issues, but the new laws enacted by the state legislature require policy updates to remain in compliance with the law.
♦ The board also agreed to consider implementing a construction excise tax on new commercial and residential construction in the school district boundaries.
Money from the excise tax by law can only fund new school facility construction and maintenance projects.
The state gave school districts the authority to enact a local construction excise tax in 2007. Almost all districts in the Willamette Valley implemented the tax years ago. The board plans to discuss the issue in early 2020 and solicit public feedback.
♦ The board started the process to fill the Zone 5 board position vacancy. Nick Brooks submitted his resignation in November due to a job change.
Members of the public wishing to serve on the school board can download an application from the district’s website.
Applications are due by Jan. 20, 2020.