The Prescott Cardinal softball complex will become the first at a high school in Wisconsin to have a video board.

The Prescott School Board unanimously approved a plan at its Wednesday, Jan. 17 meeting to have the 7.5-by-25-foot board installed in left-center field at Biggs-Frey Memorial Field at the Jackie Riley Sports Complex.

The only other softball field with a video board in the state is at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The $125,000 in funding for the video board will not come from the district budget. It will come from fundraising programs, Athletics and Activities Director Andrew Caudill informed the board.

“This is a major piece of the puzzle as we work to offer the best softball complex in Wisconsin, and it will be another avenue to generate fundraising revenue to complete other projects,” said Caudill.

The board will be installed by Daktronics, which is financing the video board over five years with no interest. Installation costs of $24,000 will be paid for through money fundraised through Prescott athletics also.

Two years ago, Ptacek’s IGA financed $233,000 interest free over five years for the installation of new video scoreboards in the Prescott High School gym and a new scoreboard at the Laney Field football stadium. Payments for that are through business sponsorship advertising.

Caudill said that Ptacek’s has agreed for the payments to be put on hold to allow for the annual payments for the softball video board. When that’s paid for, annual payments will return to Ptacek’s IGA until 2033.

“Ptacek’s IGA allowed us to refinance our debt to them from the gym boards,” said Caudill.

He said that several local businesses have already extended their sponsorship agreements, and he’s working with other businesses.

“That allows us to cover the cost of the boards comfortably,” said Caudill. “This is a great opportunity for us. This is exciting. It’ll be just like the gym, no Fund 10 (general fund) money. It’s all fundraised.”

The current softball scoreboard will remain in place for now but could be moved to another field in years to come, if the budget allows for it, said Superintendent Dr. Rick Spicuzza.

Board member Tanya Holub said, “To Ptacek’s IGA, I can’t say enough about their generosity.”

The board also approved a plan to use money raised by the Prescott Cardinals Athletics Association to lease a Chevrolet Tahoe for three years to be used by athletic teams, mainly the girls golf program.

Caudill said he’s been working with Cernohous Chevrolet of Prescott to set up the lease, which will cost $871 a month for 15,000 miles a year. Insurance costs will be $1,800 annually.

“The money is all privately raised,” said Caudill.

He said the district currently has one vehicle that can be utilized by teams when a school bus isn’t an efficient use. Last year, that vehicle wasn’t available, and the district had to rent one for the golf team to go to the state meet.

He said that teams using the vehicle will have to contribute back to Prescott athletics from their own fundraising for the cost of insurance.

“It will fill golf’s need. That’s who would use it the most,” said Caudill.

Caudill said that it would also be utilized in other sports, like cross country state, dance or girls wrestling.

Coaches would need a commercial driver’s license to operate the vehicle.

“It’s very hard to swallow a little bit when we’re talking about a referendum and we’re talking about budget cuts,” board member Helen Stoeckel said. “I do appreciate that golf and other sports needs that.”

Board member Tanya Holub replied, “This is at no cost to us. To me this feels like a win-win and solves a problem we can’t afford to solve ourselves. This is an example of our community stepping up for us.”

Stoeckel asked if the vehicle isn’t in use if it could be used by other activities programs, like band or choir. Caudill said that the priority would be for sports teams, but that if “it’s just sitting in the parking lot” and the groups would contribute toward the insurance, they could use the Tahoe.

“That’s something we can talk about,” Caudill said. “There would be really no reason to say no.”

Holub also pointed out that with girls’ golf post-season play being forced to Division 1 under its success formula, the team’s tournaments could require more travel.

“I assume that their travel will be further,” she said. “We have to have vehicles where they can do this safely.”

Board president Mike Matzek said the board can examine it again after the three-year lease is over.

“I think it’s a great idea,” he said.